Devotionals

Memorise: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 2nd Corinthians 11:27
Read: Matthew 6:16-18
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 33-34, Jeremiah 32:36-44

1. One of my sons was travelling with me for the very first time sometime ago, and after we had been together for two days he asked me, “Daddy, why do you pray so much?” He said he observed that before we left the room, we prayed; when we got into the car, we prayed; on arrival at our destination, we prayed; when we entered the venue of the programme, we prayed; when we finished the programme, we prayed; on arrival at our lodging place, we prayed; also, when he peeped to check on me, he still saw me on my knees. Well, I pray a lot because prayer is an activity we are commanded to always engage in (1st Thessalonians 5:17).
2. How often do you pray? Do you use every available opportunity to pray?
3. Apart from prayer, another spiritual activity you should regularly engage in to keep you spiritual fit and growing is fasting.
4. Some people believe that doing a long fast for 30 days or 100 days is sufficient for one year. While this is a good spiritual exercise, there is still the need to continue fasting in the course of the year.
5. When the Lord addressed the question of why His disciples were not fasting often like those of John the Baptist, here is what He said in Luke 5:34; “But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”
6. Since the Master has been received into glory, it is clear from His words that we now are expected to fast often.
7. Some people fast for a short period at a stretch and thereafter they want to feast for the rest of the year. This is not good enough.
8. A better practice is to find or create some time monthly or better still weekly to engage in fasting. Fasting was not strange to the patriarchs of old.
9. Fasting does you so much good spiritually, so it should be a part of your lifestyle. You can live a fasted life.
10. While detailing his experiences in life, Apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians 11:27 said that fasting was a reoccurring activity in his Christian life: “In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
11. Most people who find it difficult to fast simply have a problem with discipline. They are so used to eating that they cannot sacrifice a few meals to seek God’s face.
12. Anyone who cannot control his or her appetite may remain enslaved to the body.
13. Fasting helps to subdue or break the controlling power that the weaknesses and desires of your body have over you.

Fasting is a spiritual exercise through which we can subdue the flesh for quick access to God and deep fellowship with Him. It was made known by our Lord Jesus in Mark 9:29 that certain miracles only come when we pray and fast. “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”Mark 9:29. Let’s activate the miraculous as we swing to action and fast rather than talking about it. May God help us all in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for daily feeding us with spiritual food.

Action Point
Stop talking about your plan to fast; just go ahead and fast. You can start with one day per week.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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Memorise: And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of sliver. 2nd Samuel 24:24
Read: 2nd Samuel 24:16-25
16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded.
20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.
24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 31-32, Jeremiah 32:26-35

1. Sacrificial sowing can deliver an unending harvest to you, make your harvest irreversible, make you the talk of the town and even turn away God’s anger from you.
2. In 2nd Samuel 24:1-25, we read about how God was provoked to anger by King David, thereby bringing God’s judgment on the people. So many people died in the ensuing pledge.
3. After the first wave of destruction, the angel was about to effect the second phase when God stopped him, while he was on Araunah’s farmland. David’s seer, Prophet Gad, came and instructed him to raise an altar to the Lord on Araunah’s farmland, where the angel was last seen. On arrival, Araunah went to welcome King David and he offered him all he needed to make the sacrifice, but David politely declined it. Why? It is simply because he knew the importance of sacrifice and the power of sacrificial seeds. “And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2nd Samuel 24:24
4. When David pleaded with God to temper His justice with mercy and judge him instead of his innocent people, God said, “Alright, I will do something about that. I will overlook your errors, I will forgive you and stop my judgment, but you have to first bring me a sacrifice.” David agreed to give that sacrifice and he turned down Araunah’s offer to make the offering an easy one. He said, “This sacrifice must cost me something. It is a sacrifice in sorrow so that I can go home rejoicing.”
5. Some of us have found ourselves in a similar situation as David, where it was required of us to make painful and costly sacrifices in order to achieve our heart desires. However, instead of going headlong into it, we rather sought and received help from the Araunahs of this world to make the task an easy one.
6. Never accept an affordable or convenient alternative in the place of the sacrifice you need to make in order to enter into your desired breakthrough.
7. If you can make the required sacrifice, you will receive the joy you so desire.
8. If you can make the sacrifice, you can overturn God’s wrath from yourself or your family.
9. If you can stand in the place of prayer long enough and pay the price the situation you are facing requires, you will return with joy.
10. Are you ready to do this?

The weight of your sacrifice, attitude or gravity of your sacrifice can turn God’s face towards the one offering it such that a positive change is effected as well as seizure of wrath or punishment. Abraham, Jacob, solomon, David just to mention a few in the Bible that offered quality sacrifice that got God’s attention. In 2 Kings 3 king Moab sacrificed his eldest son and got freedom from the 3 kings whom God had promised to deliver Moab into their hands. This scripture pointed to the fact that even an enemy that has been marked for destruction got freedom because his sacrifice was heavy. David understood the implication of making sacrifice to God shabbily or without reverence in our Bible reading today and he didn’t risk doing otherwise even when the offer was made. When God asks for something from us it is not because He needs it but because He wants to bless us, revert a situation or establish something new. We should therefore always endeavour to carry out every of God’s instructions to the last order. This is because in doing this there is a great reward awaiting us. May we be ruled by our spirit and not the flesh in Jesus name. Pastor E.A Adeboye is a blessing to us and we pray that God will never leave nor forsake him in Jesus name.

Action Point
There is no alternative to a sacrifice that should be made. Just ask God for grace to do it.
HYMN
O Jesus, I have promised
  To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
  My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
  If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
  If Thou wilt be my Guide.
 
Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
  In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
  The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
  To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
  Thou Guardian of my soul.
 
O Jesus, Thou hast promised
  To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
  There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
  To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
  My Master and my Friend.
 
Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
  And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
  Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
  Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
  My Savior and my Friend.

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Memorise: Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. Psalm 106:8
Read: Psalm 106:7-9
7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 29-30, Jeremiah 32:16-25

1. The Bible declares that our God is a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). This means that He is ever-present or always ready to help in the time of trouble.
2. There are several reasons why God makes His help available to a person.
3. Understanding these reasons and applying them to your life will go a long way in helping you experience God as an ever-present help.
4. One of these reasons is to fulfil His promises. God is very committed to His promises; hence, Psalm 89:34 says, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”
5. If He has purposed to help you, He will not change His mind midway. Number 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
6. God’s word had integrity. He regards His words above His Name (Psalm 138:2). Every promise He has made to you shall be fulfilled speedily!
7. God cannot violate His word, so you can be sure that He will keep His promise to help you.
8. Another reason why God reaches out to help a man is for the sake of His Name.
9. If you genuinely belong to God, He will help you because you bear His Name and are called by His Name in this world (Acts 15:17). No wonder Psalm 106:8 says, “Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”
10. That means His intervention goes beyond your asking. He will intervene to defend His Name and show His power.
11. At certain bus stops in life, some people will challenge you by asking “Where is your God?” some may even say “if your God is truly alive, He should have delivered you by now.” If you are in such situation, take heart and be unmoveable.
12. In Daniel 3:14-29, King Nebuchadnezzar initially asked the three Hebrew children “who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” However, By the time God was through with him, he publicly confessed that there was no God like their God.
13. Is your child in a situation that appears hopeless? Is your business or career going through some impossible storms? God will step into your situation and calm the storms!
14. The Lord is speaking peace to every impossible situation you are up against right now. He will surely bring you out of the storm, not just because of you, but because of His Name that you bear.
15. In that situation you are going through, the Lord will defend His Name, and He will not put you to shame. He will demonstrate His power just to give you the last laugh in Jesus’ Name.

God is Almighty, promise keeper, All sufficient and with Him all things are possible. Believe me brethren the word of God cannot be broken and His faithfulness is dependable. Like our father in the Lord stated above, God wants to protect His integrity and will never fail. It is always good to depend on His promises as the Bible says 
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:10-11‬.
However, we must be aware of where we belong, you must have a right standing with God to benefit in His faithfulness. Remember,  the Bible says “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs‬ ‭18:10‬ This means that only the righteous is permitted to run to that name. May God help us to remain righteous and I His will. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye. May his strength be renewed daily in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, in this present situation I find myself, arise and defend your matchless Name.
HYMNPrayer Point
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 
in a believer’s ear! 
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, 
and drives away our fear. 
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole 
and calms the troubled breast; 
’tis manna to the hungry soul, 
and to the weary, rest. 
3 O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, 
my Prophet, Priest, and King, 
my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, 
accept the praise I bring. 
4 How weak the effort of my heart, 
how cold my warmest thought; 
but when I see you as you are, 
I’ll praise you as I ought. 
5 Till then I would your love proclaim 
with every fleeting breath; 
and may the music of your name 
refresh my soul in death.

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Memorise: And he gave them their request; but sent leannest into their soul. Psalm 106:15
Read: Genesis 16:1-5
1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 28, Jeremiah 32:1-15

1. A lot of people have gotten their fingers burnt in the place of seeking an alternative to God’s promise.
2. When God’s promise is seemingly delayed, some Christians do not have the strength of character to keep waiting on the Lord and holding on to His promises; they therefore seek out and accept man’s alternative to God’s precious promises.
3. Not only does man’s alternative take you off God’s course and provide you with quick fixes that cannot really fix anything, they also give you momentary joy that cannot absolve you of sorrow.
4. This was the experience of Sarah. In today’s Bible reading, after Sarah gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to raise children through her, she was happy and relieved that her problem of barrenness seemed solved. But her relief soon turned into grief as her happiness became sorrow. Genesis 16:4 says, “And he went into Hagar, and she conceived and when she saw that she conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”
5. Sarah took good care of Hagar, in expectation of using her as a means to an end. For the purpose of child-bearing, she exempted her from the usual chores that her fellow maids would perform. However, the moment Hagar conceived, the tables turned against Sarah. Suddenly, all attention shifted to the new queen of the house. Everyone and everything had to be at her beck and call. She no longer had regard for her mistress. Realising she now had what Abraham earnestly wanted; she used her pregnancy as an excuse for gross misbehaviour. She took over Abraham’s attention and the poor man hardly even had time for Sarah anymore. When she was disobedient and her mistress tried to correct her, she would simply tell her, “Madam, if you were ever pregnant, you would understand what I am going through.” That was the beginning of Sarah’s sorrow.
6. When you are tired of waiting for God’s will, plan or timing, and you decide to follow one of the alternatives that comes your way, you will only be hurting yourself.
7. May you not use your own hands to undo yourself!
8. When God blesses you, He removes every form of sorrow from it (Proverbs 10:22), but whatever blessing you think you can derive from substituting God’s plan with an alternative will only be short-lived and will definitely come with sorrow.
9. Some people who knew and turned down God’s will in marriage, following the dictates of their flesh, ended up in sorrow. A good number of them are secretly weeping today. They cannot cry out because people warned before venturing into such marriages, but their ears were deaf to those warnings.
10. In your own interest, take time to find out God’s will for you in every area of your life and patiently follow it. In years to come, you will understand why that was the best decision you ever made.

When man decides to fix things themselve outside God’s plan, I ends up I agony and chaos. Why then won’t one wait on God and allow His will prevail over all circumstance we are faced with? He wants good for us and we should not choose evil because we are in haste. May God keep and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in his body and ministry in Jesus name.

Key Point
It is better not to be blessed, than to be blessed and have sorrow with it.
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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Memorise: Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14:12
Read: Mark 11:22-24
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 25-27, Jeremiah 31:31-40

1. The ministry of signs and wonders is the ministry of God, and He reserves the right to partner with anyone He chooses (Hebrews 2:4).
2. He can partner with someone operating in any of the five-fold ministries: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers or evangelists. He can equally partner with ushers, choristers, instrumentalist, sanitation workers, etc.
3. When God partners with even an ordinary choir member or instrumentalist, demons will flee! This happened in David’s life when God partnered with him as just a harp player (1st Samuel 16:23).
4. Never look down on yourself! God can work with anyone who is willing to cooperate with Him. Are you willing? Are you ready to meet with His requirements?
5. Are you asking like some followers of Jesus once asked Him in John 6:28b: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Here is His response to you in John 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my father.”
6. Note however that if you desire to operate in the miraculous, you must be a person of faith.
7. Why? Faith attracts God into the ordinary situations of life. It brings the divine into contact with the natural. In fact, in Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says if only you can believe in Him, signs will definitely follow you.
8. Are you experiencing signs and wonders in your ministry? If you are not, it could be that you are not releasing your faith, not necessarily because you do not have faith.
9. If you lack faith in God, you could never be born again in the first place. If you followed the steps of salvation and become born again, you definitely have faith.
10. That same faith is required of you every time you go before God for sometime: whether to make a request, to worship or to praise Him. You need to release your faith.
11. In Mark 11:22-23, Jesus says if only you can release your faith, you can command a mountain to move, and it will go to the destination that you have sent it.
12. Faith is the key to the miraculous.
13. When you lay your hands on the sick and pray for them, do you release your faith as well? If you refuse to release you faith, nothing will happen.
14. When you pray, God looks for your faith before He acts on that prayer.
15. Beloved, where is your faith?
16. If you have faith, you will trust in God’s ability to meet your needs. If you have faith, you will have great expectations. If you have faith, you won’t seek any other alternative to God’s intervention. If you have faith, you will not be double-minded.
17. Where is your faith? Release it today! 

Faith is a universal currency according to Bible scholars, and without which we don’t even think anyone can please God. Hebrew 11:6. It was also by faith that the elders obtained good reports Hebrew 11:2, meaning that all the testimonies of the apostles and other Heroes like Abraham came to manifestation by faith. God expects you to be rugged in your faith , it gives Him happiness and allow God to trust you to exercise your faith in any difficult situations, which in turn gives Him glory after settling you. Brethren release your faith today and let His name alone be glorified. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight.

Key Point
Faith is like an identity card that you must present whenever you go into God’s presence.
HYMN
1. My faith looks up to thee, 
thou Lamb of Calvary, 
Savior divine! 
Now hear me while I pray, 
take all my guilt away, 
O let me from this day 
be wholly thine! 
2. May thy rich grace impart 
strength to my fainting heart, 
my zeal inspire! 
As thou hast died for me, 
O may my love to thee 
pure, warm, and changeless be, 
a living fire! 
3. While life’s dark maze I tread, 
and griefs around me spread, 
be thou my guide; 
bid darkness turn to day, 
wipe sorrow’s tears away, 
nor let me ever stray 
from thee aside. 
4. When ends life’s transient dream, 
when death’s cold, sullen stream 
shall o’er me roll; 
blest Savior, then in love, 
fear and distrust remove; 
O bear me safe above, 
a ransomed soul! 

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Memorise: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Matthew 3:9
Read: Psalm 33:8-11
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 23-24, Jeremiah 31:15-30

1. God makes you laugh when He turns His prophecies into decrees.
2. There is a difference between prophecies and decrees. When you hear “Thus says the Lord” that is a prophecy for which you will need to wait to see its fulfilment. In contrast, when God suddenly decides to issue a decree, such as “Let there be light”, you will know that your waiting period is over, as your miracle will manifest immediately. In Genesis 1:3, when God said “Let there be light”, there was no need to vote on it, and neither was there any delay, because He had decreed it.
3. Psalm 33:8-9 says one reason why the whole earth should fear God is that whenever He speaks, it is done. All He has to do is to speak, and the next moment, it is done.
4. By the grace of God, I have witnessed God operate in this dimension.
5. Sometime ago, a couple came to us believing God for the fruit of the womb. I asked them, “What kind of baby do you want” Their response wad simultaneous: the man wanted a boy while his wife wanted a girl. So I said we should better make it twins – a boy and a girl – and  both of them said “Amen”. Exactly nine months after, the man was carrying his baby boy and the wife was carrying her baby girl.
6. This season, God is saying let there be light, healing, fruitfulness, increase, promotion, victory over enemies and fullness of joy in your life, and so shall it be!
7. Moreover, God makes you laugh when He decides to show you His Almightiness.
8. After declaring that Sarah would have a child, she laughed, but denied laughing when He asked her why she laughed (Genesis 18:11-15). Then He asked, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?”
9. Every man definitely has his limits, and even spirits are limited, but not the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9). Hence, Luke 1:37 says nothing is impossible with our God.
10. He can suspend physical laws and have His way any day. Matthew 3:9 says this God can produce children out of stones!
11. Whatever the specialists have said cannot hinder my God. Where they are limited, He is not. The resources they lack, He has in abundance. What they do not know, is common knowledge to Him. His word is full of power and gives direction to anything He wants done. This is why I know that this season, everything standing in your way to laughter shall give way so that you can laugh.
12. You shall laugh last and your laughter shall be unstoppable!

I shall laugh last and my laughter shall be unstoppable in Jesus name! We are so blessed to have the knowledge of the greatness and power of God such that we are positioned to receive from Him if we believe. I am excited my father is the all sufficient God and when He makes one laugh, it is never seasonal but a permanent laughter. We should therefore pray always that His decree should be released into our lives that we may enter into immediate rest from sorrow and struggle. I pray we will experience laughter over every issue that we desire a change for in Jesus name. We are daily refreshed and blessed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. More grace to our father in the Lord Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, for every couple trusting You for the fruit of the womb in my local assembly, Please give them laughter today!
HYMN
The great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus.
Refrain:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.
Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
Go on your way in peace to heav’n,
And wear a crown with Jesus.
All glory to the dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Savior’s name,
I love the name of Jesus.
His name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The charming name of Jesus.

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Memorise: So the people of Nineveth believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. Jonah 3:5
Read: Jonah 3:1-10
1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.
4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 21-22, Jeremiah 31:1-14

1. Fasting is a spiritual exercise every believer should often engage in because of the several benefits that can be derived from it.
2. When the Lord was teaching His disciples about fasting during His earthly ministry, what He said to them was “When you fast” and not “If you fast” (Matthew 6:16). The Lord’s choice of words shows that He takes it as a given that you will have to fast.
3. However, if you engage in a spiritual exercise such as fasting but lack an understanding of the basis for doing so, you may not be able to optimise your gains from it.
4. In other words, it is important to know why you should fast and to know what you stand to gain from fasting. Knowledge plays a key role here.
5. Why should you fast? Prayer and fasting can help to restore spiritual fervour in your relationship with God.
6. You can fast whenever you feel estranged or separated from God, whenever your heart is spiritually cold or when you sense that you lack sincerity in your humility.
7. You can also fast as a mark of repentance, and to seek pardon and restoration from sin. Sin separates anyone from God, but if fasting is properly engaged, the estranged fellow can be drawn into God’s presence for mercy.
8. If you take a look at Nineveh, you will see the effect of fasting in action. The people of Nineveh lived a very riotous life. They were engaged in several atrocities and abominable acts that called for God’s fiery judgment, like it happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. However, because of His righteous and merciful nature, God sent Jonah to go and warn them of His intention to destroy them because of their wickedness. As soon as Jonah sounded the warning, the people of Nineveh received the word and immediately declared a national fast. Nobody was exempted from this fast: the king, the nobles and even all their animals joined in the fast. Besides the fast from food and water, they abstained from all those things that provoked God’s anger, humbled themselves and cried out to God for mercy, and He heard them. Jonah 3:10 says, “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
9. If you realise you are far from God, you can set aside the things that gives the body pleasure; fast and pray earnestly, asking God for His mercy and you will see His hand.
10. If done according to heaven’s pattern, fasting is an exercise that can easily cause God to notice you as a candidate of His mercy. How often do you fast?  

Fasting is a spiritual exercise that open door for the miraculous. Jesus told His disciples that fasting and prayer is important for them to be able to cast out demon. “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21. Apart from being able to put the body under and fast, we must also know the purpose for which the fast is engaged in. When fasting, apart from staying away from food some other characters or act can be dropped. Let us take note of all our father highlighted that fasting can do in today’s devotional and take advantage of it. We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye. May God continually strengthen him in Jesus name.

Key Point
Fasting is a work of faith because it takes faith to fast and pray to a God you cannot physically see.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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Memorise: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his external glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. 1st Peter 5:10
Read: Genesis 15:10-15
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 18-20, Jeremiah 30:10-24

1. One assurance you have as a believer is that the boat of your life and endeavours cannot sink.
2. Be assured that every storm, contrary wind and wave that is working against you is only for an appointed time. The Holy Spirit made this clear in 1st Peter 5:10 when He said, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you”
3. Beloved, don’t believe the lie of the devil that things will continue to get worse. They will not! Don’t believe that the unpleasant situation you find yourself in will persist. It will not!
4. Every pain, sorrow or distress is for a set time and it will definitely expire. After its expiration, the imperfect shall be perfected, the unstable shall be established, the weak shall be strengthened and there shall be divine settlement. These shall be your portion from now in Jesus’ Name!
5. However, sometimes, the devil attempts to extend the period of a trial of faith beyond what was originally sanctioned by God. This is why we need to know God’s will concerning a situation and thereafter stand on it.
6. You need to know your kingdom rights and insist on receiving them.
7. The devil is rightly called a thief in John 10:10. He steals what does not belong to him.
8. Any ground you fail to conquer in the Kingdom will be lost to the enemy’s camp. Any promise of God you do not know and lay claim to shall be lost to the enemy.
9. How much of God’s promises and prophecies do you know? How many of them have you laid claim to? Do you know that God can allow you go through a trial of faith situation for three years, but if you fail to know the exact duration or are not sensitive enough, the devil can take advantage of that situation and prolong the hardship?
10. This was the case in today’s reading. God spoken of Abraham’s descendants going into slavery in a strange land for a period of 400 years and thereafter they would come out with great wealth; but do you know that by the time the Israelites were delivered, they had spent an extra 30 years in slavery (Exodus 12:40)!
11. Even today, many believers have allowed the devil to enjoy extra time afflicting them. They have moved from the preset trial period to a period of satanic affliction, thinking they are still going through the God-ordained trial of faith.
12. How can you check this? Ask God. Seek His face over it. Use all the weapons you have as a Christian: the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, the promises of God and a life of holiness to combat that unpleasant situation. If the situation stops, it means your trial is over.

Our spiritual alertness and constant fellowship with God gives us the opportunity to know his plan, recognise His hand and act as well as stand firm against the devil’s wiles. When we stand right with God and firm in Him, the devil’s plight to extend certain trial of faith is averted. May God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for the daily spiritual food we receive through this devotional in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Every Satanic extension to my “trial of faith” period is terminated now in Jesus’ Name.
HYMN
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All, all is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.
 

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20

Memorise: That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. Deuteronomy 23:23
Read: Judges 11:29-36
29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands.
33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back.
36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 16-17, Jeremiah 29:24-30:9

1. Sometimes, some people promise God one thing, but when the time comes to redeem the pledge, they bring something else.
2. Do you think that God does not have records in Heaven? Once you make a pledge to God, don’t try to change it. Ecclesiastes 5:6 says, “Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”
3. After you have committed yourself to a particular thing as a vow, if you later return to say, “It was a slip of the tongue, God will understand”, you are only deceiving yourself. Such an excuse is not acceptable to God.
4. God expects you to stand by your word. Hence, as part of the requirements to stand in God’s holy place, Psalm 15:4 says if you make a vow, you are expected to do everything possible to redeem it, no matter the cost, sacrifice or inconveniencies involved.
5. Do you have this quality? It is part of the integrity we must have as believers.
6. Another lesson on vows is that you must be extremely careful before making a vow.
7. Think very well before pledging a commitment to do a particular thing, because once it has gone out of your mouth, you may not be able to beat a retreat.
8. Some people get carried away with zeal and make a mouth-watering vow but later find it difficult to redeem it.
9. Be careful! Only vow to give up what is within the limit of your capability and not what you know you cannot cope with!
10. The story of Jephthah is a very touching one. He needed victory so badly that he vowed to sacrifice to God whatever first came out of his house to meet him on his return. After the battle was over, as he returned home with great joy, it was his only child – his virgin daughter – that came out first to welcome him. He felt so bad. He realised the rashness of his vow, but he could not turn back from his promise.
11. Finally, one more lesson on vows is that God does not like to hear the voice of vow-defaulters, and He would ultimately destroy their efforts (Ecclesiastes 5:6).
12. Is God fighting you over a vow you have defaulted on? Repent now and restitute. If need be, seek the guidance of a Spirit-filled Christian counsellor or pastor.

Every scripture about vow clearly revealed how important it is for vows made to be redeemed. We as believers must bear fruits like our Father’s. Integrity is one of God’s quality and we as His children must also possess this quality. We should say only what we can and do what we say. God help us to walk in His way alon in Jesus name. Blessed be God for Pastor E.A Adeboye. May His name alone be praised forever in Jesus name.

Action Point
Unpaid vows are debts that can hinder you from making heaven. Prayerfully recall your unpaid debts and redeem them fast.
HYMN
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee. 

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Posted by admina

Memorise:
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.Isaiah 41:13
Read: Isaiah 41:10-14  
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 13-15, Jeremiah 29:15-23

1. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
2. As we have seen in our previous studies, it is a terrible thing to be lonely and forsaken by relatives and friends, or to be told by your pastor that your problem defies all spiritual efforts. In that seemingly hopeless state, God can reach out to you and turn things around.
3. Let us look at some reasons why He will help you.
4. First of all, Isaiah 63:1 says He is mighty to save. In other words, not only is this God the Almighty God, He can equally save in a mighty way. This means, not only can He save you from “small” or “medium size” problems, He can also deliver you from problems that have defied all attempted solutions.
5. In Deuteronomy 32:39, the Lord says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.”
6. From this scripture, we understand that He has the final say regarding life and death. He is the only one who can tell the fellow that the whole world has condemned to death, “You will surely live.” Have you been condemned to death, sickness or barrenness of any kind? Fear not! This Almighty God will arise because of you, and He shall deliver you today!
7. Moreover, in today’s Bible reading, He made some very powerful promises to you. He says He knows you are weak, helpless and defenceless, but that He will strengthen you. He says He will also help you.
8. He knows the vanity of receiving help from men, hence the reason He says He will help you. God’s help is coming your way this season!
9. Expect divine assistance to come your way now! Furthermore, He says He will uphold you. This means no problem or difficulty can swallow you. When God upholds you, you cannot fall.
10. He also promises to disgrace your enemies. Every agent of darkness working against you shall be disgraced today!
11. Furthermore, He says He will confound your enemies. That means they will be so confused that they will not know what they are doing. He says He will reduce them to nothing and cause them to perish. Every sickness or sorrow in your life shall be reduced to nothing in Jesus’ Name.
12. Every battle against your life and destiny shall be overturned this season. All those who have risen up against you shall fall for your sake! The Lord will help you! The Lord will fight for you! From now on, you are moving from your point of weakness and vulnerability to a point of power and strength!

When believers start to understand that the only way we can secure everlasting help is in Christ Jesus and put our trust in Him, then life becomes easy. Trying to help God in certain circumstances undermine the sovereignty of God. That is why the Bible says ” “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5‬. Brethren, God is able, ready and willing to help you but you must decide to surrender all to Him. God delights in you when you put your entire trust in Him. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ . God is willing to put an end to sorrow, reproach and poverty in your life, just trust Him for any help you desire and you shall receive it in Jesus name. Thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye. May he grow in strength, grace, wisdom and knowledge of God’s word by each day in Jesus name.

Action Point
Receive all the promises discussed in the devotional study with thanksgiving. Personalize and confess each of these promises.
HYMN
1. Through the love of God, our Saviour, 
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour, 
All will be well;
Precious is the blood that healed us, 
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us, 
All will be well.
2. Though we pass through tribulation, 
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation, 
All will be well.
Happy when in God confiding, 
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit’s guiding, 
All will be well.
3. We expect a bright tomorrow; 
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow, 
All will be well;
On our Father’s love relying, 
Jesus every need supplying
In our living, in our dying, 
All will be well.

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