Rhapsody of Realities

Transcription

1 Rhapsody of Realities...A DAILY DEVOTIONAL Chris Oyakhilome

2 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. A KEY FOR OTHER BIBLE VERSIONS USED: NKJV -New King James Version AMP -The Amplified Bible AMPC -The Amplified Classic Bible TANT -The Amplified New Translation TLB -The Living Bible CEV -Contemporary English Version NASB -New American Standard Bible ISV -International Standard Version NIV -New International Version MSG -The Message Translation WEB -The World English Bible TNLT -The New Living Translation ASV -American Standard Version TEV -Today s English Version RSV -Revised Standard Version GNB -Good News Bible WNT -Weymouth New Testament NRSV -New Revised Standard Version MOFFAT -Moffatt New Translation WESNT -Wesley New Testament Rhapsody Of Realities...a daily devotional ISSN June 2018 edition Copyright 2018 by LoveWorld Publishing FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PLACE ORDERS: UNITED KINGDOM: Believers LoveWorld Unit C2, Thames View Business Centre, Barlow Way Rainham-Essex, RM13 8BT. Tel.: +44 (0) Fax.: +44(0) USA: Believers LoveWorld 4237 Raleigh Street Charlotte, NC Tel: CANADA: 600 Clayson Road North York Toronto M9M 2H2 Canada. Tel/Fax: NIGERIA: Christ Embassy Plot 97, Durumi District, Abuja, Nigeria. SOUTH AFRICA: 303 Pretoria Avenue Cnr. Harley and Braam Fischer, Randburg, Gauteng South Africa. Tel.: Fax.: USA: Christ Embassy Houston, 8623 Hemlock Hill Drive Houston, Texas Tel.: ; CANADA: Christ Embassy Int l Office, 50 Weybright Court, Unit 43B Toronto, ON MIS 5A8 Tel.: LoveWorld Conference Center Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun P.O. Box Ikeja, Lagos Tel.: info@rhapsodyofrealities.org All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written permission of LoveWorld Publishing.

3 Introduction H urray! Your favourite daily devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, is now available in 939 languages, and still counting. The 2018 edition of the devotional has been packaged to enhance your spiritual growth and development and position you for resounding success throughout the year. The life-changing truths in this edition will refresh, transform and prepare you for a very fulfilling, fruitful, and rewarding experience with God s Word. - HOW TO USE THIS DEVOTIONAL FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT - Read and carefully meditate on each article. Saying the prayers and confessions aloud to yourself daily will ensure the results of God s Word that you re speaking come to pass in your life. Go through the entire Bible in one year with the one-year reading plan, or in two years with the two-year reading plan. You can also split the daily Bible reading portions into two parts morning and evening reading. Use the devotional to prayerfully write out your goals for each month, and measure your success as you accomplish one goal after another. Enjoy God s glorious presence and victory, as you take a daily dose of His Word! God bless you! -Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

4 Name: Home address: PERSONAL INFORMATION Home telephone: Mobile: address: Business address: GOALS FOR THE MONTH:

5 Rhapsody of Realities...A DAILY DEVOTIONAL

6 TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE friday 1 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21). Did you know that as a child of God what becomes of your life is entirely up to you? If you re waiting on God to do anything about your life, your wait will be in vain, because He already did all that s required for you to have an excellent, glorious, and triumphant life. The works were finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4:3 NKJV). All you have to do now is enjoy your life: enjoy everything that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ provided for you. 2 Peter 1:3 says, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Notice the tenses; this isn t a promise but a forgone conclusion; it s happened already: you ve been given everything you require for the transcendent life. Knowing how to make all that already belongs to you in Christ all He s made you and has done for you a vital reality in your life has been the missing link. You may not know it, but every time you speak, you shape your life and future to either synchronize with God s divine provisions and destiny for you, or to be at variance with it. You are today, what you said

7 years ago. That means you re fully responsible for your life and future; they re in your hands. What becomes of you in life is the result of your tongue-work. Stop talking about your problems; rather, declare your glorious life in Christ. Declare how you want things to be, in line with the Word. Don t wait for anyone to do it for you; by your own words, chart your course. Take charge of your life. Acts 2:17 says, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Prophesy about your life, and about your future. Prophesy to your bone, to your body, to your skin, to your blood, to your finances, job, business, academics, etc. Don t wait for the world or circumstances to decide and dictate what happens to you; use your mouth: speak words of power. PRAYER Father I thank you for your glory in my life! The light of your Word is shining ever so brightly in, and through me; and all things are working together for my good. I live in health, success, and prosperity, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Job 22:28; Mark 11:23; 2 Peter 1:3-4 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 16:17-33 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 & Proverbs 28 Leave comments on today s devotional at

8 WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT saturday 2 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). The term spiritual songs in the scripture above really doesn t mean the spirituality of the songs in terms of their content, but that they re songs of the spirit. It s the same thing the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said, For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Singing with the spirit is singing in other tongues. These songs come out of your spirit, not from your understanding. It s similar to the way you yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit to pray in tongues, only that this time, you re singing in other tongues and worshipping the Lord. Jesus said, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Worshipping in the spirit is higher. That s the climax. You may sing and worship the Lord in your understanding, and that s okay, but ascend higher; sing songs from your spirit; worship and relate from your spirit; it s a deeper fellowship.

9 The latter part of our opening scripture says, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Your songs of the spirit aren t to the congregation or to any individual. Those listening to you may not like the way the songs sound, but you re not singing to them; you re singing to the Lord! It s like praying in tongues; it s not unto men but unto God (1 Corinthians 14:2). It brings about a divine exchange; as your spirit is passing words in the spirit to God, the Holy Ghost is passing information to your spirit. When you finish such sessions of fellowship with the Spirit, you re literally on top of the world; no challenges move you, because your spirit has gained the dominion! At that point, you know without a doubt that you re more than a conqueror, a victor for life! Learn to function in the spirit, with your spirit, and by the Holy Spirit. Christianity is a life of the spirit, lived from the inside out. PRAYER Blessed Lord, your glory fills the earth, and your righteousness is upon the nations! Splendour and majesty are before you; strength and joy are in your dwelling place. You ve beautified my life and anointed me to proclaim your love, mercies and grace; I ll sing of your love forever, and of your faithfulness that s ever sure. Blessed be your Name forever. FURTHER STUDY: John 4:24 AMPC; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:2 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 17 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:11-19 & Proverbs 29 Leave comments on today s devotional at

10 CHRIST OUR LIFE sunday 3 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:4). Romans 8:11 declares: If the Spirit of Him that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He shall vitalise your mortal body. The life of the human body is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), but for the one who s born again, his body is made alive by the Spirit. Thus, your life is from the Spirit. There s an effect of the Holy Spirit s presence in your physical body. Jesus said, And these signs shall follow them that believe if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them (Mark 16:17-18). Why? It s because we don t live by blood; we live by the Holy Ghost! It s incongruous with our true nature and identity for a Christian to be sick. That you feel a headache doesn t mean you have it. But because many haven t been taught right, they possess the headache because they feel it. Another one says, I have cancer, because he was diagnosed with cancer. Yes, the doctors may have seen a growth somewhere in your body, but since Christ is in you, though your body be dead or ravaged by cancer, the Spirit gives it life because of righteousness (Romans 8:10). Just the realisation your consciousness that Christ is your life, and that He has already quickened

11 your mortal body is enough. The Bible says Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). How could you be sick when Christ lives in you? How could anything be wrong with your liver, heart, or kidney when Christ is your life? How could you fail, be defeated, or act foolishly when Christ, the embodiment and totality of wisdom, lives in you? It s not possible! The trouble is that not too many are conscious of the life of Christ that s in them. For example, when Peter visited Aeneas, one of the believers in the early Church who was sick and paralyzed for eight years, he didn t pray for him. All he said was, Aeneas, Christ makes you well; rise and make your bed ; and that was it. The man rose up immediately (Acts 9:33-34). Become conscious that Christ lives in you; He s your life, and He makes you well. Hallelujah! Walk in the dominion and power of His glory and righteousness in you. PRAYER Christ is my life, and I walk in the glory and power of His righteousness; I live by the law of the spirit of life, and I m thoroughly vitalised by that divine life, walking in dominion over sickness, disease, poverty, and every consequence of sin, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 4:4; Romans 8:11; 1 John 5: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 18:1-27 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 & Proverbs 30 Leave comments on today s devotional at

12 monday 4 RECEIVE THE WORD WITH GLADNESS And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified (Acts 20:32). The Word illuminates, informs and builds your spirit, bringing you into the place that the Lord has already given you, helping you understand the life that you re supposed to live. The Word gives you divine insight into mysteries and secrets. So, when you re studying the Word on your own, or hearing it being preached or taught, rejoice and receive it with gladness. When you receive the Word with gladness, very easily, it imparts faith and courage to your spirit. The Bible lets us know that in Christ, you ve obtained an inheritance; that s a legal reality. However, for you to use, enjoy, and walk in the vital reality of your inheritance in Christ, you need the Word. The Word of God the Bible is the book of your inheritance. As you study and meditate therein, all that rightly belong to you in Christ aren t only unveiled to you, but become your vital experience. The Bible says through knowledge shall the just be delivered (Proverbs 11:9). The just are those who have

13 the nature and life of Christ in their spirits, those who are born again; through knowledge the knowledge of God s Word they re delivered, not from trouble, but into their inheritance. The Word of God is what catapults you into that large place which the Psalmist spoke of in Psalm 18:19; a place of wealth, health and prosperity. It s therefore important that you get to know and possess your inheritance through the Word. Read our opening scripture again: it isn t just talking about the ownership of the inheritance, but the possession of the same through, and by the Word. PRAYER Righteous Father, your Word is life to me, and it puts me over and above circumstances. I m built, energised, and rightly positioned by your Word, and the Holy Spirit for increased prosperity and supernatural accomplishments. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, I have a goodly and awesome heritage, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Luke 8:15 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 18:28-19:1-16 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:29-39 & Proverbs 31 Leave comments on today s devotional at

14 tuesday 5 WALKING IN HUMILITY: A GREAT BLESSING Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). Until and unless you re submissive to the Lord and His Word, you really can t walk with the Spirit of God. True humility is yielding to the will of the Father; acting on the Word, regardless and independent of circumstances. It s about honouring, regarding, and giving preference to others, because the Word says so. In Philippians 2:3 (AMPC), the Spirit adjures, Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. Don t carry your shoulders so high against your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially your leaders in the Lord; be humble. Be submissive. Pride and unsubmissiveness are signs of demonic

15 presence. Satan wasn t submissive to God; he was a proud figure, and for his haughtiness, God kicked him out of his place of honour. You must make up your mind to walk in humility. It s part of the manifestation of the life of Christ in you. Hebrews 13:17 says, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. You can talk in tongues; you can prophesy; but if you re not submissive and humble, it s all in vain. Walking in humility is a great blessing. Use it for your life, to guide yourself, and you ll be amazed at the blessings that would result. Humility brings promotion. The Bible says God resists the proud and gives more grace to the humble; resulting in honour, increase, enlargement, and progress. PRAYER Blessed Father, you re so gracious and kind. I receive your Word today into my spirit, and relate with everyone in meekness and humility of heart, expressing the love of Christ, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 AMPC 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 19:17-42 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:40-49 & Ecclesiastes 1-2 Leave comments on today s devotional at

16 wednesday 6 THE WORD OF GOD IS GOD In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). One of the extraordinary ways the Lord manifests Himself is in and through the Word. The Word of God created the universe. The Word of God is life. The Word of God is power. The Word of God is light. The Word of God is truth. The Word of God is God. Where the Word of God is, God is! The Word of God isn t like the word of a man. Centering your mind on the Word is centering your mind on God. The Bible says He keeps in perfect peace peace of prosperity the one whose mind is stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). The way to stay your mind on Him is meditating on the Word. The Holy Spirit never does anything without the Word. For example, in Genesis chapter one, we read that in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. But the earth was without form and was empty and covered with darkness. Then the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters, but nothing changed. The earth was still a chaotic mass until God said, Let there be light and light became. The Spirit of God caused the light to manifest. He acted on

17 the Word. Until the Word is given, the Spirit does nothing. Don t ignore the Word; some Christians ignore the Word, and that s so unwise. What you need for your next level or that miracle and promotion you so desire; what you need to prevail in any crisis and live victoriously every day, is the Word. When you face challenges, when things get tough and rough, keep your confidence in the Word. Refuse to compromise. Get radical with your faith-affirmation and confession of the Word. As you speak, the Spirit will cause things to happen in accordance with your words, because the Word of God in your mouth is God talking! It ll always prevail. Glory to God! PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the power of your Word in my life. Your Word produces life, light, health, wealth, prosperity, progress, advancement, and all the good things of life in me. My confidence is in your eternal Word, by which I live triumphantly every day, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 55:11; John 1:14; Acts 20:32 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 20:1-18 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 & Ecclesiastes 3-4 Leave comments on today s devotional at

18 THE WISDOM OF THE JUST thursday 7 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17). disobedient in our opening text, following Tthe original Greek rendering, means one who can t be persuaded; one who s headstrong and doesn t want to go in the right direction. He or she deliberately chooses to do wrong. There re such people today; They re unyielding; even when they know the truth, they choose to do otherwise. They re unwilling to submit to the Word of God, which is the wisdom of God. Part of the responsibility of those whom the Lord has sent with His message of truth is to turn the hearts of these disobedient folks to the wisdom of the just. The wisdom of the just refers to the mindset of the righteous. It s a mind that s yielded and given to the Word easily persuaded by the Word to act in conformity to the Word. Such a person is willing to accept the Word, and to make adjustments on the basis of the Word. That s functioning in the wisdom of the just. True wisdom is living in, and by God s Word; being influenced and propelled by the Word to the right thoughts and actions.

19 1 Peter 4:17 says, For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? The underlined portion of the preceding verse is the verb of the noun we read in Luke 1:17: that obey not. The Greek word is Apeitheo, meaning the disobedient; one who s willfully disobedient and unbelieving; the foolish. The Bible says, The fool says in his heart, There is no God... (Psalm 14:1 NIV). Being born again, you have a different mindset: the mindset of the just. Therefore, be swayed and easily moved by the Word of God; take your actions on the basis of the Word. It doesn t matter how something appears, or that you find it appealing to the senses or your emotions, if the Word of God says otherwise, conform to the Word. Discipline yourself to accept and live by the Word of God only. PRAYER Blessed Lord, I m totally yielded and committed to you. I appreciate the power of your Word in my life. I ll always be a success, because my decisions and actions are based on your Word. Your wisdom is at work in me, propelling me in the path of greatness, victories, joy and peace, today and always, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:22 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 20:19-31 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 16:1-12 & Ecclesiastes 5-6 Leave comments on today s devotional at

20 This month, cell leaders from across the ministry will converge on the prestigious LoveWorld Convocation Arena in Lagos, Nigeria, for the International Cell Leaders Conference (ICLC) 2018 with the man of God, Pastor Chris. The conference promises to be a special time of impartation of the Word and the Spirit, designed to move leaders in the cell ministry to the next and higher level of their work. Attendees will also be equipped for more effectiveness in the propagation of the Gospel of Christ, fired up with a new fervency for soul winning. Start making plans now to attend!

21 Notes Notes

22 friday 8 CHILDLIKE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORD So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). The Word of God is trustworthy; it s living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12 AMPC). God s desire for us is to be built by the Word; we excel and make progress by the Word. 1 Peter 2:2 says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. He wants us to accept the Word of God like children. Children are trusting. Jesus said, Truly I say to you, unless you become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all] (Matthew 18:3 AMPC). Exhibiting childlike confidence in the Word doesn t make you gullible or naïve. Rather, it means you re smart and functioning in the wisdom of God. Many make the Word of non-effect in their own lives because they argue with the Word; they always try to rationalize the Word. Children don t try to rationalize things; they simply act from their standpoint of innocence, trusting the one who s leading, guiding or instructing them. That s how we ought to be with the Word.

23 Jesus said to the Pharisees, You have made the Word of God of non-effect through your tradition (Mark 7:13). Don t hold on to religious opinions, beliefs and thought-patterns that are contrary to the Word. Have a childlike delight and hunger for the Word to do what it says. It doesn t matter where you ve been or what has happened to you; you can trust the Word and use it to effect changes in your family, home, finances, academics, and physical body. If sickness tries to attack you, stand firm on the Word. Declare, I m healthy and strong, because I have the life of God in me. If it s fear, declare, I m more than a conqueror; greater is He that s in me, than he that s in the world. The Word is dependable. Therefore, be bold to speak it forth, and it ll always prevail. CONFESSION The Word of God is working and producing results in me! I m like a tree by the streams; evergreen, bearing luscious fruits, because the Word of God is my life and sustenance. I live in divine health, supernatural abundance, and in continuous victory and prosperity, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 55:10-11; Joshua 1:8; Matthew 18:3-4 AMPC 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN John 21 & 1 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Corinthians 16:13-24 & Ecclesiastes 7-8 Leave comments on today s devotional at

24 saturday 9 WISDOM STANDS YOU OUT Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her (Proverbs 4:7-8). There s a wisdom from God that s revealed to us to live by. Jesus functioned in it, and as a result, He completely baffled and dazzled those in His day. He had a different mindset. His words and teachings were different; in most cases, they were in complete antithesis to the Law, and to natural human thinking. According to the Law, for example, the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20), but Jesus manifested the love, mercies and grace of God: For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Moses taught An eye for an eye; life for life ; but Jesus came to reveal to us the life and nature of God; the way God thinks the way that wins the love-way. Man had been raised in the natural world to be vengeful, to be insulting and injurious. But Jesus taught that we should love our enemies, pray for, and bless our detractors and persecutors: Love your enemies,

25 bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). That s strange to the natural man. Loving your enemies isn t what you d naturally like to do. But Jesus came with Kingdom principles: a new way to live. He spoke love, and demonstrated love. Those that heard Him heard Love s voice. Those He encountered felt Love s embrace. Even the officers that were sent to arrest Him on a certain occasion, after listening to His teachings, submitted, No man ever spoke like this man! (John 7:46 NKJV). Jesus functioned with the wisdom of the just; that s what you need in your life; that s what stands you out and makes you a wonder to your world. PRAYER Dear Father, you ve granted me wisdom and understanding, to know and walk in your perfect will. My life is the expression of divine wisdom. Wisdom is heard in my words and seen in my actions today, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 5:1; Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 21:15 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 1 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 & Ecclesiastes 9-10 Leave comments on today s devotional at

26 A LIFE OF DOMINION sunday 10 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). In the verse above, the Apostle John wasn t prophesying; he was affirming the life we have in Christ; a life of dominion over satan, the world, and its systems. The Christian is unconquerable; he s a victor on every count; he s born into the glory-life, and could never fail. Read Jesus assertion about your impregnable and invincible nature your authority and dominion in Him: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19). In Mark 16:18, He said you shall tread upon serpents; and if you drink any deadly thing, it ll have no effect on you. This means you can t be poisoned. What a life! He overcame the world and gave us the victory, the power to subdue this world. That s what John affirms in our opening verse. The word, overcometh means to have victory over, to subdue, conquer, and to prevail over. You ve subdued, tamed and conquered the elements of this world; the circumstances of life; therefore, walk in dominion over them. The Word doesn t say, You ll overcome if you

27 pray hard enough ; the only criterion is to be born of God and you automatically have power over every crisis, and dominion over circumstances. Distressing situations may come from the enemy the devil, but be unruffled; in Christ you ve already been made victorious. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. Never wonder or be baffled by the trials, temptations or challenges that may come your way; in the midst of them all, you ll always win: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). You have to come to this realization; train and develop yourself in this consciousness. PRAYER I m born of the Word; therefore, my origin is divine. I ve overcome the world and its failures, hatred, corruption, decadence and limitations. I reign victoriously over circumstances, because Christ is in me; that s my assurance of a life of ever-increasing glory and eternal prosperity, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 5:5; Psalm 8:4-6; Ephesians 1: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 2:1-21 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 & Ecclesiastes Leave comments on today s devotional at

28 monday 11 BELIEVE AND LIVE THE WORD But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22) Many Christians have lived in the sense-realm for too long. If they feel a headache, the first thing that comes to their minds is the medication to take. They re not conscious that they have power over sickness, disease, and infirmity; they re not conscious that they have the divine life. The Christian is a partaker of the divine nature; an associate of the God-kind. You have the very life of God in you; that makes you more than a mere man. Sickness really can t, and shouldn t thrive in your body, because Christ is the life of your physical body. His presence in you already gave life to your mortal body. Why then are many still burdened with sickness and ravaged by one health issue or the other? The answer is clear: ignorance. The psalmist said, They know not, neither will they understand (Psalm 82:5). Jesus said concerning the believing ones, They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:18). The above verse is a sovereign declaration of

29 Deity; it s a present-hour reality, guaranteed to produce results. Believe and act on it. Practise it for yourself, and on others. Believing the Word and acting accordingly is the way to make the Word effective in your life. Faith is acting on the Word of God that you ve believed. If there s no action, then there s no faith, and without faith, it s impossible to please God. Faith is standing your ground on the reality of the Word. Yes, hearing the Word produces faith in you, (Romans 10:17), but acting on it, living it out, is what causes you to excel, prosper, and make progress in life with giant strides. PRAYER I worship you, precious Lord, for your kindness and infinite mercies. Thank you for making me a partaker of the divine nature, an associate of the God-kind. Your life and nature in me makes me more than a mere man; I m supernatural, excellent and full of glory. I walk in, and manifest the dominion of Christ today, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: James 1:22-25; James 2: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 2:22-47 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 2:1-7 & Songs Of Solomon 1-2 Leave comments on today s devotional at

30 tuesday 12 THE LANGUAGE OF OUR KINGDOM Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). As Christians, we belong to a real spiritual kingdom: the Kingdom of God s love-son. In that kingdom, we have our peculiar Kingdom language. We don t just talk; we speak the wisdom of God; that s the language of our Kingdom: Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought (1 Corinthians 2:6). Too many Christians don t understand how to speak the Kingdom language, because they ve never been rightly and adequately taught, and as a result, they talk fear, and unbelief. Some of them call it reality ; Let s face reality they d say, referring to the things that their senses can perceive. The only reality is God s Word. Don t say you re broke just because there s no money in your pocket or bank account. Instead, affirm, The Lord is my shepherd and I lack nothing; He s brought me into a large place, a place of wealth untold. I m supernaturally supplied, and all my needs are met; I have no consciousness of lack, because all things are mine! That s speaking the language of our

31 Kingdom. Somebody says, But we have to say it as it is; if I feel a headache why can t I say I have a headache? You can t say, I have a headache, because headaches don t exist in our Kingdom. The things we speak are the things God has freely given to us, and sickness, disease, failure, lack, and death aren t part of those things. When you speak contrary to your divine nature and provisions in Christ, it s an illegal operation ; it s like entering the wrong codes into a programme or computer system; it won t work. Therefore, speak the wisdom of God always. Only affirm your glorious life in Christ. When you declare, I m the manifestation of the glory of God, you re speaking the language of our Kingdom; you re communicating with the right sound code. Hallelujah! CONFESSION I speak the wisdom of God always, and the circumstances of life are subdued before me. I reason with the mind of Christ, and my outlook on life is from the perspective of the Word. I m making unstoppable progress in life and ministry, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Luke 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:6-7; Colossians 4:6 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 3 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 2:8-17 & Songs Of Solomon 3-4 Leave comments on today s devotional at

32 wednesday 13 MAKE WAR WITH WORDS Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips (Hosea 14:2). Being born again, we re engaged in a spiritual warfare: a fight of faith. Actually, it s called the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). It s a good fight because we always win. If a Christian loses in the good fight of faith, then he or she isn t using the right arsenal; and part of that arsenal is prophecy. In 1 Timothy 1:18, the Apostle Paul, by the Spirit, gave an important charge to Timothy, and by extension the rest of us, saying, This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. We make war with prophecies. Don t let the Word of the Lord that has gone forth concerning your finances, health, family, business or career fall to the ground. Use them in your fight of faith. Make war with them. No matter what comes against you; no matter the challenges or crises you face, declare the Word. It s time to make war with those prophecies you wrote somewhere in your note or diary. God gave you

33 those words for you to affirm the same in consent. If you don t say it, it won t work. He said; so that we may boldly say... (Hebrews 13:5-6). For example, Isaiah 43:2 says, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Don t just read that and be quiet; respond. Declare, I m forever protected and fortified against all evil and wickedness in this world. I dwell in the safety and peaceful habitation of the Almighty; a place of glory, dominion and everlasting joy, where I reign and rule with Christ over circumstances. In the face of trouble or adversity, make war with words. Affirm your victory. Hallelujah! PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the Holy Spirit at work in me, and the ability He s granted me to speak forth words of power. Even now, I declare that I m functioning in supernatural supply, strength, ability, wisdom and knowledge; I know things by the Holy Ghost, and I m walking in, and fulfilling my destiny in Christ, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Ecclesiastes 8:4; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:5-6 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 4:1-31 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 3:1-10 & Songs Of Solomon 5-6 Leave comments on today s devotional at

34 thursday 14 PROPHESY TO THE WIND Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live (Ezekiel 37:1-5). Are you aware that you can change hopeless situations and effect positive changes in your life through the creative power of God s Word in your mouth? You can change anything through the gift of prophecy. To prophesy means to speak words of divine revelation and potency: words that have, and give life. In our opening scripture, Ezekiel found himself in a valley full of dry bones, and the Lord asked him, Can these bones live? Ezekiel s response was, Lord, you alone can tell ; it was a hopeless situation. Nevertheless, God said to Ezekiel, Prophesy to these bones ; He needed Ezekiel s cooperation. Now, here s the interesting thing: the first thing God said would happen to the bones following Ezekiel s prophecy was that He would cause breath to enter into them. But read what happened: So I prophesied as I was commanded: and when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them (Ezekiel 37:7-8).

35 Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded, but the very first thing God said would happen to the bones didn t happen; there was no breath in them. He brought this to God s attention and God said to him, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man (Ezekiel 37:9). Notice the difference this time: he was to prophesy to the wind, not the bones now. When he did, the Bible says, breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army (Ezekiel 37:10). This is as profound as it is instructive. Sometimes, a word of prophecy comes to us, and we re waiting for it to be fulfilled, and it doesn t; so we think the prophecy was false. But we never asked the Lord what next to do as Ezekiel did. Ask the Holy Spirit the next step to take; the specific words to speak now. He s our Instructor; He leads and guides us. He ll show you what to do, and tell you what to say. Maybe you need to Prophesy to the wind too. Hallelujah! PRAYER Righteous Father, you have set me over the nations and over the kingdoms, to proclaim your goodness and declare your faithfulness to the ends of the earth. Your righteousness is established in the nations, and the Gospel of Christ prevails and is glorified in all the earth, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Romans 10:6-8; Romans 12:6; Hebrews 13:5-6 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 4:32-5:1-11 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 3:11-18 & Songs Of Solomon 7-8 Leave comments on today s devotional at

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37 Notes Notes

38 friday 15 ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Being in Christ or now that you re born again, everything about your life is brand new and of God. If you found anything that s not of God in your life something that hurts, binds, demeans or limits you rebuke it and it ll be gone. That s because all such things (old things) are passed away. The failures, sickness, poverty, and defeats of the past are all gone. That s what the Word says. The things that are permissible in your life are things that are of God, and that cancer isn t of God. That pain, frustration, or crisis that has brought despondency isn t from God. Reject it. You have a new life in Christ, and this new life destroys sickness and disease, because it s the life of God. You may say, But I still feel the pain or effect of sickness or disease in my body, even though I m born again ; refuse to cower. Rather, keep affirming, I have a new life, and it s the Christ-life; it burns up every trace of sickness and disease from my body. Keep vocalizing your faith like that, trusting what

39 God has said: He s called you to glory and virtue, not to poverty, sickness or death. The latter part of our theme scripture is equally powerful; it says God has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. Some have only understood this from the perspective of being reconciled or made right with God in respect to our sins, but it s much more. To understand it better, look at it from the point of view of an accountant, reconciling and comparing records, to ensure they re correct and in agreement he reconciles everything to have a balance. In a similar sense, everything about your life has been reconciled to ensure that the brand new and divine life that God ordained for you to have is what you actually have. There s nothing good missing in your life. You re excellent and full of glory; a perfection of beauty. Live with this consciousness, and there ll be no room for poverty, defeat, failure or sickness in your life. CONFESSION I walk in newness of life, living out the glorious Christ-life predestined for me from the foundation of the world. I m chosen, royal, peculiar, excellent, and full of glory. I walk in victory and dominion always. Hallelujah! FURTHER STUDY: Colossians 3:9-10; Romans 6:4 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 5:12-42 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 & Isaiah 1 Leave comments on today s devotional at

40 BE QUICK TO ACT saturday 16 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22). One of the ways to make the Word of God effective in your life is by acting quickly on it. Never be hesitant or slothful to act on God s Word. Many miss too much without realizing it when they re slow or hesitant to act on the Word. Whatever instruction the Lord gives to you, whatever inspiration comes to you as you study the Word or listen to it preached and taught in church, respond swiftly. That s the kind of faith-response that gets God s attention. When you respond swiftly to God, He ll always respond quickly to you as well. The Bible says, Quench not the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). That means you can quench the Spirit, after He has tried to no avail to stir you up and have you do something for which you were either hesitant or unresponsive. When your faith is stirred, it s an indication of the Spirit of God working in you; don t suppress His work in you. Act immediately on whatever instruction, guidance or direction He gives you, even when such doesn t seem to appeal to the senses. Think about it: To the man who had a paralyzed limb, and couldn t move his hand, Jesus said,...stretch

41 forth thine hand... (Matthew 12:13). If the man had tried to rationalize the instruction instead of responding swiftly, perhaps he d have lost his miracle. Peter and John did the same thing to the man at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. After Peter ministered healing to him, he yanked the man up, and the Bible says, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. The man was smart; he dared to act on his healing: And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God (Acts 3:8). Don t be hesitant or reluctant when it comes to acting on God s Word. Be smart to respond boldly and swiftly in doing the Word, for that s how to honour the Lord in your life. PRAYER Dear Father, I m quick to act on your Word, and have it produce in me the message that it carries. I m transformed, strengthened and energised for the glory-life as I live in, and by your Word, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 13:13; Philippians 2:13; Luke 5:5 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 6 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 & Isaiah 2 Leave comments on today s devotional at

42 sunday 17 RISE ABOVE THE ELEMENTS And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing in life, including the weather and its elements, is set to your disadvantage. The different seasons summer, winter, autumn, spring were all created for your benefit. In Genesis 8:22, the Lord said, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. All the weather conditions have come to stay, because God made it that way. Nevertheless, He made them subject to you. It makes no difference how harsh the weather may be, you can rise above it. Someone says, I decided to take things easy, because I ve been under the weather ; how could you be under the weather? Be above it! If you confess you re under the weather, the debilitating effects of the atmospheric conditions will buffet you. Some believe that during winter, there s a sharp rise in the incidence of respiratory infections, such as the colds and the more severe flu. Thus, many never look forward to winter; they dread it. No! If you re born again, you re to rise above the weather and all its limitations and effects, with your words. This doesn t necessarily mean that during winter the

43 weather would suddenly become hot, no. It just means that no matter how cold it gets, it won t have any negative effect on you. The earlier you start professing words of faith to recondition the elements and circumstances in your favour, the better for you. When others say, There s cold and flu spreading like wildfire, your response should be different; you re to say, In and around me is divine health, because I dwell in a different atmosphere; the atmosphere of the Holy Ghost. Even now, declare, I rise above the weather conditions and the health or environmental issues they bring. I have eternal life in me; I m indestructible, impregnable, and imperishable. I carry my own atmosphere everywhere I go. Hallelujah! PRAYER In the Name of the Lord Jesus, I rise above all limitations and conditions that seek to put men under. I walk in the dominion and power of the Spirit over and above circumstances, and elements of this world. I acknowledge that all things work together for my good; therefore, I experience victory, prosperity, and success today and always. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Job 22:29; Mark 4:39-41; Isaiah 43:2 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 7:1-53 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 & Isaiah 3 Leave comments on today s devotional at

44 monday 18 HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR MISSING CHURCH SERVICES Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). young man told the story of how he hadn t A attended church services for about four years, due to his tight work schedule. Moreover, there was no local assembly close to where he lived. That s unacceptable. If you re a Christian, you MUST be a member of a local church, and have no excuse for missing church services. If there re peculiar situations or challenges that hinder church attendance protractedly, there re ways to go about them. You can participate live in church services through several online platforms that are available. If the constraint is distance or even the unavailability of internet service, you can request from your local assembly to pioneer a branch where you are. You can even volunteer your home as the venue. Moreover, if you re sure you have the spiritual maturity to be the coordinator, that s okay too; just let the authorities in your local assembly know. There s no reason good enough for any Christian to keep skipping church services. The church is a place of hope, succour and solution. It s a place of solution because in church, the

45 Word of God is taught, and the knowledge of God s Word is what puts you over in life. In church, your faith is built strong, and you also have the opportunity for rich fellowship with other believers and the Holy Spirit. When those who were in Caesar s house couldn t come to church, what did the Apostle Paul do? He helped them start a church in Caesar s palace. Think about that! And in Philippians 4:22 he made reference to the saints in Caesar s household. We do the same for those who have been incarcerated for different offences and are serving jail terms that could span many years. We set up a church right inside the prison, so they ll learn, fellowship and grow in Christ. There s no excuse good enough for continually missing church services. So, like the Lord Jesus (Luke 4:16), have the culture, routine, and personal discipline to always be in church when you should. PRAYER I m so glad that I m an active member of the church of the living God, where my life is constantly being upgraded with the Word. In your presence and fellowship, I m continually built, strengthened and established in the truth of the Gospel, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: 1 Timothy 3:15; Luke 4:16 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 7:54-8:1-8 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 & Isaiah 4 Leave comments on today s devotional at

46 tuesday 19 THE WORD ON YOUR LIPS For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). It s not enough to know God s Word as it s contained in the written pages of the Bible; you have to release power through speaking! That s how it works! With the Word on your lips, you ll live over and above all limitations and circumstances. Voicing your faith is a fundamental spiritual principle, without which even the gift and blessing of salvation can t be received or activated. Notice the opening verse again: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). The salvation package is delivered upon satisfying these two conditions: Believing and confessing the Lordship of Jesus. To believe isn t enough; there must be the corresponding verbal communication or affirmation of your faith. When you speak the Word, what you re doing is releasing the power of God into action on your behalf. For example, God instructed Joshua, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest

47 observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Joshua 1:8). The Hebrew rendering of the word meditate is hagah, which means to ponder, imagine, murmur, mutter, speak, study, talk, utter, or roar. It s not just talking about you thinking the Word only, it means you ought to voice out the Word. Notice that the instruction to Joshua doesn t make any mention of us speaking to anyone. So, it makes no difference whether or not anyone is listening to you, you just keep talking the Word. When matters arise, use the Word. Speak the Word and change things. The Word of God in your mouth is God talking. PRAYER Dear Father, thank you for faith is stirred in my spirit to change my world and transform circumstances for your glory. I believe in the unsearchable riches of Christ and all He s done for me, and therefore affirm that I walk in righteousness, victory, health, peace, progress and prosperity all my days, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Mark 11:23; Proverbs 15:23; Romans 10:6-9 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 8:9-40 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 & Isaiah 5-6 Leave comments on today s devotional at

48 EXCITING BENEFITS OF PRAYER Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). wednesday 20 When you understand the importance and higher purposes of prayer, you ll always be willing and excited to pray, especially in other tongues. One of the beautiful things the Holy Spirit has done in our lives as God s children is to give us the ability to speak in other tongues. When we speak in tongues, the utterance, the words we speak, aren t man-made but from the Lord. Moreover, we aren t speaking to men but to God: For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2). When you pray in tongues, you re in fellowship with the Father; you re communicating with Him through the Spirit in a heavenly language. What a blessing that is! Also, praying in tongues helps to stir up the power of God resident in your spirit. Though that power came into your life when you received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), you ve got to keep it active and in use for His glory. Praying in tongues will keep you more fit spiritually, and responsive to the guidance and

49 promptings of the Spirit. The more time you spend in fellowship with the Lord, praying in the Holy Ghost, the more His character and personality are revealed in, and manifested through you. Some are only compelled to pray when they face crises in life, and that s not right. We re called into fellowship with our heavenly Father; that s what prayer, and praying, is primarily for: fellowship! Take your personal and corporate times of prayer very seriously. Create the opportunities in the course of your day to fellowship with the Lord through prayer, and your life will flourish from glory to glory. PRAYER How great thou art O Lord! Your glory, greatness, and majesty are beyond description. Thank you for your presence in my life, and your Word that builds and transforms me in ever-increasing glory. Thank you for the privilege of speaking in other tongues and to fellowship with you in such deep intimacy, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Acts 4:31; James 5:16 AMPC 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 9:1-31 & 2 Chronicles YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 6:11-18 & Isaiah 7 Leave comments on today s devotional at

50 thursday 21 A PURE LANGUAGE OF THE SPIRIT For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). No matter how many earthly languages exist, there re not enough words in the human vocabulary with which to adequately and accurately express yourself to God. Our human earthly vocabulary isn t pure enough to commune with the holy God that our heavenly Father is. That s the reason the Holy Spirit gave us a language, pure and holy, with which to communicate in a way that s acceptable to God: praying in other tongues. Many only know how to pray in their understanding; that is, in their native language, but that won t take you far enough. No matter how beautiful your words are in any earthly language, and how loaded with revelation they are, they re no match for the pure language of the Spirit. It s for this reason that Paul, by the Spirit, penned the words we read in the latter part of our opening verse. Notice that praying with the spirit comes before praying with the understanding. Sadly, some Christians would rather pray with their understanding first, and

51 then pray with the spirit, if they do pray in the spirit at all. They ve made praying with the spirit the also, and that s the wrong order. Before you pray with your understanding, pray intensely and profusely first with the spirit. In fact, your praying in the understanding would be more effectual if you d pray first with the spirit. And praying with the spirit doesn t mean shutting your eyes and being mute, hoping that somehow, God s looking into your sincere heart to know what you want; no. It means praying in tongues; praying in the language of the Spirit a divine coded language. Your mind can t interpret what you re saying, but in the realm of the spirit, you re speaking mysteries. The devil and his cohorts of darkness are confounded when we pray in other tongues, for it s an esoteric language for our direct communication with our heavenly Father. What a privilege and blessing to be able to access and speak forth divine mysteries and secrets from the realm of the Spirit. Blessed be God! PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for the blessing and privilege of being able to speak in tongues. My life is excellent and full of glory because of the awesome ministry of the Holy Spirit in me, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Luke 18:1; Romans 8:26-27; Jude 1:20 AMPC 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 9:32-43 & Ezra YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 7:1-8 & Isaiah 8 Leave comments on today s devotional at

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53 Notes Notes

54 friday 22 SINCERITY ISN T RIGHTEOUSNESS For if by one man s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). In your walk with God, you have to understand that there s a huge difference between sincerity and righteousness. Sometimes, we think that God should look at our sincerity and count it for righteousness, but it s not so. No matter how sincere you are, it ll never amount to righteousness. God doesn t hear and answer your prayers because you re sincere, but because you re righteous; because of Jesus; and your righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus. The Bible says, Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (Romans 5:18). Righteousness is what gives you right standing in the presence of God. Your sincerity never gives you right standing before the Father. A whole lot of Christians pray and cry to God, pleading on their sincerity, because they re not aware of the truth of God s Word. Never use your sincerity as a currency; that s not what works; it s your faith your

55 faith in His righteousness that produces results. Having been declared righteous, you have a right to be heard in the presence of God; you have peace with God (Romans 5:1). This didn t happen on the basis of your sincerity or personal effort; it happened because He gave you His righteousness. Never think of God as one you need to impress with your good works so He ll accept you or do anything for you; Jesus already impressed Him in your behalf. So, when you plead your case before God, it shouldn t be on the basis of your performance or self-righteousness. Rather, let it be on the basis of your right standing with Him in Christ Jesus. God s blessings in your life His goodwill towards you have to do with the righteousness of Jesus Christ; that s why you can be bold in His presence to make demands in the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah! PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for my spirit is enlightened through your Word. I m the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; therefore, I reign in life and exercise dominion over circumstances, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Romans 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 10:1-23 & Ezra YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 7:9-16 & Isaiah 9 Leave comments on today s devotional at

56 saturday 23 OUR BOLDNESS IN PRAYER According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him (Ephesians 3:11-12). Some people marvel at us sometimes when we pray, wondering why we could be so audacious and confident. The reason we pray with such authority and audacity of faith is that we pray in the Name of Jesus. In John 14:13, Jesus said,... whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. The key is asking in His Name; living in the authority of His Name. Many, lacking this understanding pray through Jesus, instead of praying in the Name of Jesus. There s a great difference between the two. When you pray in the Name of Jesus, you re exercising the full legal powers He gave you to act in His stead. But to pray through Him is to make Him a medium, which isn t required now that you re in Him. When you understand and have the consciousness, of the power and import of the Name of Jesus, and what it represents, you won t have to try to squeeze up faith when you need it. When you pray or make demands in His Name, it s as though Jesus Himself

57 were speaking; everything responds to you the same way they would respond to Jesus. The angels, demon spirits, and all of nature respond to you as though they were hearing directly from Jesus. In Matthew 17:5, the Father spoke from heaven: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. He was telling all of creation, all of nature animate and inanimate to hear and obey Jesus. So, when Jesus said to ask anything in His Name and it d happen, it was against this backdrop. He meant that His power would be behind our demands, prayers, requests, and instructions, to bring them to pass. This is the reason for our boldness and confidence in prayer. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for I have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Jesus Christ. And in His Name, I lay hold of my inheritance. The whole world is mine, because I m a joint-heir with Christ. All of nature responds to me, blessed be God. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: John 16:23-24; Philippians 2: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 10:24-48 & Ezra YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 8:1-8 & Isaiah 10 Leave comments on today s devotional at

58 sunday 24 YOU HAVE ALL THINGS IN CHRIST Therefore, let no man glory in men. For all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). In Luke 11:11-13, the Lord Jesus said, If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Here, He was teaching people of the old covenant, the Jews, about faith in God; how to get things from God. However, today, for us as new creations in Christ, things are different. We don t try to get anything from God, because we have all things in Christ. The Bible says, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The tenses show that it s already done: God has given you ALL things that pertain to life and godliness. Many have misunderstood the teachings of Jesus on faith. Those teachings really don t apply to the new creation, because He was teaching a principle to men and women of the senses, who didn t understand faith as a lifestyle. They didn t understand how to live from

59 inside out. Everything you desire in life is already inside you. There s no need to try to get anything from God as though it s coming from outside. You don t need to try to get what you already have. What you need is to know how to bring into physical manifestation, that which already belongs to you in Christ. There s no provision of the Gospel that isn t already your legal possession in Christ. You only need to speak them forth. What you say becomes. Whatever you desire or require today is already yours; call it forth and it ll appear. Glory to God! CONFESSION I m an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ; I own the world. The silver and the gold are mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills are mine. I lay up gold as dust, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. The Lord has brought me into a large place; a place of abundant supply and wealth untold! Blessed be God! FURTHER STUDY: Mark 11:23-24; Romans 8:17; Romans 8: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 11:1-18 & Ezra YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 8:9-17 & Isaiah Leave comments on today s devotional at

60 monday 25 HE S ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING FOR YOU For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4:3). Are you aware that in Christ, God has done all that He s ever meant to do for you? What s left is for you to discover these things and walk in the light of them. We may say to someone, God is going to heal you today, or The Lord will do a new thing in your life ; that s for the spiritual babe in Christ. God, in essence, isn t going to heal you today or do anything for you today, because He s already done everything for you in Christ Jesus. He healed you on the Cross. You might say, But yesterday, I felt a sharp pain in my chest; I prayed and God healed me. He didn t heal you yesterday. You only appropriated yesterday, what He already did for you in Christ over two thousand years ago. You tapped into something He already did. God s not working on your case in heaven; He s sitting, waiting till His enemies become His footstool. That s what the Bible says: He finished all the work, and today, He s at rest. What did Jesus say on the cross, before His death? It is finished (John 19:30)!

61 He accomplished everything necessary to bring you out of any and every predicament, and catapulted you into the life of glory. He s done all that was needed to put an end to suffering for all of humanity. No matter what you may be going through right now, Jesus has settled it all for you. Stop praying and expecting God to do something and bring about the changes you desire; the power for change is within you. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Thus, with the Word of God on your lips and the power of the Holy Spirit, there s nothing you can t handle in this world. CONFESSION Your Word, blessed Lord, is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I walk conscious of the truth that all things are mine, and nothing is impossible unto me. How glorious to know I have a loving Father who has granted me all that I need for life and godliness. Hallelujah! FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 119:130; Psalm 23:1-3; 1 Peter 1: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 11:19-30 & Nehemiah YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 8:18-24 & Isaiah 13 Leave comments on today s devotional at

62 tuesday 26 GROWING AND PROSPERING BY THE WORD Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father (Galatians 4:1-2). As a child of God, you must feed your spirit with the Word, for that s the only way to grow spiritually. You must have a consistent and instinctive desire for God s Word. Peter says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2). The life in you is the life of the Word, and can only be sustained by the Word. The Word has the unique characteristic and ability to grow mightily and prevail, irrespective of the situation or condition (Acts19:20). So when you consciously imbibe the Word for your health, finances, business, and other areas of your life, there ll be progress against all odds. Acts 20:32 says the Word is able to build you up, and deliver your inheritance into your hands. But recall what we read in our opening text: the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. An heir is someone with an inheritance. But as long as

63 that heir is a child (Greek: nepios ), he s not different from a servant. The Bible says as long as an heir is a nepios, he can t enjoy his inheritance. A nepios is someone who s unable to talk right or communicate wisely. Someone can be forty years in Christianity and still be a nepios ; he has an awesome inheritance; all the blessings of God belong to him, yet he s suffering through life. It reminds of the Spirit s lamentation in Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The life God has given us in Christ is that of great glory and excellence, where you prosper in all things, howbeit by His Word. PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the efficacy of your Word in my life. Your Word is building me up into a mature man in Christ, causing me to deal wisely in all my affairs, and to continually make progress from glory to glory, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Ephesians 4:11-14; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 12 & Nehemiah YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 9:1-10 & Isaiah 14 Leave comments on today s devotional at

64 A NEW YOU wednesday 27 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin (Romans 6:6-7). The Bible says, But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6). When Jesus died, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. When God raised Him from the dead, we were raised together with Him. We were in Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 4:24-25 says, But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. We weren t justified because He died; we were justified because He was raised from the dead. He was raised from the dead, a new man; He was born again. Jesus heads up the new creation. He came up

65 with a new life and so, the Bible says, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). This new creation has no past; there s no sin in him. His resurrection gave you a brand new life. You re not the man that sinned; that s the old man, and he s dead. Hallelujah! A new YOU was born at the resurrection: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Blessed be God! PRAYER Blessed Lord, thank you for the life I ve received through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christ rose from the dead, I came alive with Him; therefore, I walk in this newness of life. I reign and rule in life today as a king, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Romans 6:4-5;1 Corinthians 6: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 13:1-12 & Nehemiah YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 9:11-15 & Isaiah Leave comments on today s devotional at

66 thursday 28 UNDERSTANDING THE FATHER S LOVE For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). John 3:1 says, Behold, what manner of 1 love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. The word, bestowed also means lavished ; the Father has lavished His love on you. It s love without limits. Think about it: we who shouldn t have been known of God, who shouldn t have ever come close to God are now, as a result of the superabundant love He s lavished upon us, accepted of Him. We re now called the sons of God. What an amazing reality! What is love? It s that endearing value of a person that gives you a sense of his or her importance to you as the object of your favour. Therefore, that God loves you means you re special and valuable to Him. This understanding will change your life and give you an extraordinary mentality. Consider a man like David, who had a unique perception of the love of God; his understanding of the Father s love made him think differently. In Psalm 23:1 for example, he said, The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. This alone lets you know what David

67 thought about God, for which reason he was such a success, and his life, so victorious! He knew he was valuable to God, and the object of His favour. Always take out time to meditate on the love of God. Think about His grace, kindness and the fact that if you were the only one on earth, the Lord Jesus would still have given His life for you. That s how valuable you are to God. Dare to believe this and let it sink deep into your consciousness; it ll change your life forever and give you a new confidence. God loves you just the way you are. You didn t have to work or impress Him to earn His love, for you could never earn it by your own works, but by grace. He chose to love you. All you have to do is accept His love as simply as it has come to you, and be conscious of His love for you always. Even now, lift your hands to Him and say, Thank you Lord, for loving me with an everlasting love. Amen. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for your love, and your grace upon my life. Thank you for making me the object of your grace, glory, and righteousness; my life is the expression of your praise, now and forever, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 4:16; Jeremiah 31:3 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 13:13-52 & Nehemiah YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 & Isaiah 17 Leave comments on today s devotional at

68 The Every Hotel Room A Bible campaign is an evangelical work targeted at reaching people in transit with God s Word. A copy of the Rhapsody Bible placed in a hotel room has the propensity to bless several guests from various walks of life. This year 2018, our goal is to place copies of the Rhapsody Bible in 100,000 more hotel rooms around the world. Join us by adopting a hotel in your city, and together, let s make a difference in the lives of millions around the world For more information on how to participate, please send an to partnership@ rhapsodybible.org or call United Kingdom: , South Africa: , Nigeria:

69 Notes Notes

70 LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE friday 29 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). If the Master had only said, Let your light shine before men, that would have been beautiful, but He emphasized the intensity by including the adverb, so. He wants you to shine with blazing intensity. He wants men to see your good works and glorify your heavenly Father. Also notice that He didn t say, I m going to make your light so shine ; rather, you re the one to make it happen! Even Prophet Isaiah didn t allude that God is the one to make your light shine ; he said, Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee (Isaiah 60:1). You re the one to arise, and shine! It s like what we read in Romans 12:11 (AMPC): Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord. What a counsel! Again, we observe that the responsibility is yours to fan your zeal aglow. God is telling you what you can do. If you couldn t be aglow and burning with the Spirit, He wouldn t ask you to do it. He s telling you to do it because He s given you the power, the ability, to do it.

71 Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, Ye are the light of the world. Your response should be, Yes, Lord, I m a light in a dark world, and my light shines everywhere. Act on the Word. Act on that idea God has placed in your heart, and bring God s vision to pass! Get busy. Do something that ll impact and improve the lives of those around you. If you re a student for example, beam the light of the glorious Gospel in the academic world! If you re a businessman, a policeman, a soldier, a politician, a fashion designer, a lawyer or an athlete, impact your world! Change your environment. Through your light, others will see; their lives will be improved; they d be plucked out of darkness, confusion, poverty, sickness and death. Make a difference in your world by making impact with the Gospel. PRAYER Dear Father, thank you for the special privilege to be a blessing to my world, a light in a dark world, bringing blessings, illumination and meaning to the lives of many with the Gospel. My light shines so brightly, causing your glory to be revealed in, and through me, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Ephesians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9; Philippians 2: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 14 & Nehemiah YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 10:8-18 & Isaiah 18 Leave comments on today s devotional at

72 saturday 30 AN END TO ALL PENANCE And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice (Genesis 22:18). God chose Israel as a nation and blessed them. However, every year, the priest had to atone for their sins; an animal had to be killed on behalf of the people. The priest will lay his hands on the animal and confess the sins of the nation upon it; this was a yearly routine. Think about that! But over in the New Testament, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was God s spiritual Lamb and He didn t just take the sins of Israel, but the sins of the whole world (John 1:29). He was God s perfect sacrifice that settled the problem of sin forever. Today, no one needs to kill any animal in atonement for sin. Hebrews 7:26-27, referring to Jesus says, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Also, in Hebrews 9:26, we read, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. In some parts of the world, there re certain

73 religions where people punish themselves for their sins; they whip themselves and lacerate their skin as penance for their sins. In some instances, the people are laid on a platform with protruding nails, piercing through their flesh with blood gushing out. They believe this would atone for their sins. How sad! O, that the world would know Jesus and all that He accomplished for humanity! Jesus ended all of such penance. The Bible says there remains no more sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:26). You don t need to go through self-torture or self-recrimination because of your sins; Jesus already paid the full penalty for the sins of all men. This is the message of the Gospel! Christ Jesus paid it all! God s not counting or holding your sins against you, because of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus already bore the punishment and consequences for all your sins. Therefore, serve Him with your life. PRAYER Dear Father, thank you for the Lamb of God that was slain for the sins of the whole world. And now, on the basis of Jesus glorious resurrection, I ve received eternal life; I live in righteousness, victory, health, and all the blessings of Christ. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 53:5-6; Hebrews 9: YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 15:1-21 & Esther YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 2 Corinthians 11:1-9 & Isaiah 19 Leave comments on today s devotional at

74 Notes Notes

75 Notes Notes

76 PRAYER OF SALVATION We trust you have been blessed by this devotional. We invite you to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by praying thus: O Lord God, I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I m born again. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul! I m now a child of God. Hallelujah! Congratulations! You are now a child of God. To receive more information on how you can grow as a Christian, please get in touch with us through any of the contacts below: united kingdom: +44 (0) nigeria: canada: south africa: usa: +1 (0)

77 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the President of Believers LoveWorld Inc., a dynamic, multifaceted, global ministry, is the author of Rhapsody of Realities, the world s #1 daily devotional, and more than 30 other books. He s a dedicated minister of God s Word whose message has brought the reality of the divine life to the hearts of many. Millions have been affected by his television broadcast, Atmosphere For Miracles, which brings God s divine presence right into people s homes. The scope of his television ministry extends throughout the world with LoveWorld satellite television networks, delivering qualitative Christian programming to a global audience. At the world-renowned Healing School, he manifests the healing works of Jesus Christ and has helped many receive healing through the operation of the gifts of the Spirit. Pastor Chris has a passion to reach the peoples of the world with God s presence a divine commission he s fulfilled for more than 30 years through various outreaches, crusades, as well as several other platforms that have helped millions experience a victorious and purposeful life in God s Word.

78 Healed Of A Terrible Heart Condition I had a terrible heart condition with severe symptoms due to wrong prescriptions. I lost weight tremendously and could no longer walk, talk, eat or sleep properly. Fortunately, I always had my copy of Rhapsody of Realities with me, which I read throughout that month. It gave me hope and reminded me that I still had a lot to live for. This helped me maintain my confession, and one day, I suddenly discovered all the symptoms had completely disappeared! M. Brighton; Zimbabwe I Received Wisdom By Partnering With Rhapsody Of Realities Being a partner with Rhapsody of Realities has been a great blessing to me. Growing up, I had many issues to deal with that were quite burdensome. Solution came when I started partnering with Rhapsody; I miraculously received wisdom from God s Word to deal with life s troubles. Now, I walk boldly, knowing that I m a victor in Christ. V. Bavuma; South Africa I Now Understand The Work Of The Holy Spirit Reading Rhapsody of Realities in Myanmar language has helped me understand the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Prior to this time, the subject of the Holy Spirit wasn t clear to me, but through the deep teachings in the devotional, I now know Him intimately. Pastor K. Mang; Myanmar