FINISH YOUR RACE

" I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7 NIV

What does it mean to finish the race? We see some further explanation of what Paul means by finishing the race in Acts 20:22-24; He is talking to the elders from the church at Ephesus and we see here that Paul said "none of these things move me". He was not only fighting his natural instinct for self-preservation, he was fighting the good fight. He further explains finishing the race means completing the task the Lord Jesus had given him and testifying to the gospel of grace.

How you start matters but how you finish matters most. Jesus made clear that those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). But what is the task we are to complete? What is the task we have been assigned by the Lord? We all desire to know what our purpose is, what our special calling is, so that we can fulfill it. Finishing well in the long term, requires that we finish well repeatedly in the short term. Knowing that of the Lord, you shall receive the reward of the inheritance.

What do I do to finish the race? Don't settle for less. Ever so often in life, we are tempted to stay in our "comfort zone". Unfortunately when you're like this, you lose the drive to press and push the extra mile to enjoy all the wonderful blessings God has prepared for you. Many have settled for less instead of God's best. It's your responsibility to keep pressing into God. Don't be satisfied with anything less than God's perfect will for you. Always remember that if God could do for you whatever you're enjoying now, He can take you further. So stay on top always and never relent on your God given assignment. Run with patience the race set before you, your reward awaits you.

Further Scripture Study: Hebrews 12:1; Colossians 3:24 

Declare This: Dear Lord, I promise to finish my race with distinction because I know my reward is guaranteed in Jesus name Amen.

EXPECT CHANGE

"But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” John 6:20 NIV

Some are so caught up in tradition and how it used to be that they can’t even enjoy when God moves in a different way. Never hold on to the former move because God is bigger than His last move in your life. Incredible changes have taken place in the past hundred years. We are experiencing more change than ever in history and the rate of change is so great that we barely can catch our breath before another blast of change slams into us. Everything we’re familiar with is changing. 

Isaiah 43:18-19 says “remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old, behold I will do a new thing (now it shall spring forth)”. This Scripture tells us that God is doing something fresh and new, but the condition and requirement for receiving the new is to let go of the old. One of the greatest hindrances of change is our memory, we have a tendency to want to drag our past into our future. But God is saying; the only way to get the new is to let go of the old.

Don't hold on to the old else, the world will leave you behind and you'll find yourself wondering in the dark. To get the new you’re going to have to separate yourself from the old (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically in some cases); in other words you may have to let go of old friends who are not helping in the construction and building of your life, and get some new friends. Change has to come and you always have to be ready for it. Change is for your promotion and advancement. Don't be afraid of change, it's for your advantage.

Further Scripture Study: Psalms 118:6 

Declare This: Dear Lord, thank You for showing me the step to follow. I refuse to fear, rather I stand in confidence for whatever change that comes my way in Jesus name Amen.

LIVE IN VICTORY

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith". 1 John 5:4 NIV

There is nothing as exciting as winning in an uncertain world. The taste of victory is always sweet and fascinating. Victory is essential to our health and happiness. Defeat can be destructive and remaining in the state of defeat can destroy our faith. It is not God’s will for you to walk in defeat, but it is His will for you and I to rise up in the middle of Satan’s attacks and live in victory. 

To live in victory you must think victorious and you must never accept defeat. It is impossible to live in victory without a victorious perception and concept. There is an old saying which says "you are what you eat"; This is true for our lives, If you are defeated in your thought life with negative thoughts of failure then you will never win, but if you put your mind into victory and faith you will always win. 

Too many Christians give up when they are attacked with challenges. They want to just sit down and not move, thinking if they don’t do anything maybe the devil won't notice them, and he will leave them alone; wrong! You have already defeated yourself in your mind, you're just existing in defeat. When you are defeated, your progress is stopped, your prayer life is stopped and your commitment to service is stopped too.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), you automatically become a true Christian born of God. From that moment, your name changes to Overcomer and Victorious. The consciousness of this increases your faith and gives you the victory you require at any point in time in this world. Remember Victory is your name.

Further Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 15:57 

Declare This: Dear Lord, thank You for giving me the victory. I am an overcomer and victorious on all sides in Jesus name Amen.

ARE YOU WEARING THE RIGHT GADGETS?

"Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11 KJV

In our world today, there are several kinds of gadgets, military gadgets, home gadgets, electronics and others. But as great as they are, unless we learn how to exercise its full potential and develop the skills for using these gadgets, we will not know how to use them. When a soldier is ready for battle, he kits himself up from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet with different kinds of gadgets to help protect and defend him. Each gadget on him has it's specific use and importance, if he does not have the skills and knowledge to use each gadget, then he is opening himself for the attack of the enemy. This could end bad. 

As Christians, we also have our own different types of gadgets. This gadgets are to protect and guide us from every arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day or the virus that stalks in darkness. We must train our skills and develop our strength and perseverance in order to be effective against the onslaught of the devil. This gadgets are "the Armour of God". There are six pieces of Armour that is so important to always kit yourself with; 1. The helmet of salvation (the head); 2. The breastplate of righteousness (the heart); 3. The belt of truth (the waist); 4. The shield of faith (all around); 5. The sword of the Spirit (The Word of God); and 6. The Shoes of the preparation of the Gospel (the feet) - (Ephesians 6:11-18). When you put on this gadgets, you will be able to stand against all the strategies and deceits of the devil. 

Are you wearing this gadgets? If not, you won’t be able to stand firm and win. When you do, the victory will always be yours. The facts are simple, we are under attack. The war has already been won and we are on the winning side. The enemy is attempting to lessen our margin of victory, we can stop his attacks if we will stay armed always. The question is: Are you wearing your gadgets?

Further Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 10:4 

Declare This: Dear Father, I will always have my gadgets on and stand on the alert at all times. I have no intention to put them off but rather improve my skills with them in Jesus name Amen.

THE JOURNEY OF LIFE

"Now Jacob left Beersheba [never to see his mother again] and traveled toward Haran. Genesis 28:10 AMP

Esau had planned to kill his brother Jacob after mourning their father, but their mother heard Esau's plan and she immediately told Jacob to flee for his life to his uncle's place at Haran. Jacob is running for his life; he is scared, carrying deep pain inside, feeling guilty and remorseful for what he has done. 

Life is a journey and we are all in a journey. There are different journeys with different destinations but only one journey leads to the perfect destination. In this journey, God provides and He also takes care of you; just as He provided for Adam in the garden of Eden. God also protects you in the journey of life; He told Jacob in verse 15 "I am with you and will watch (keep) over you." In other words, God is saying do not fear the dangers the world has such as: attacks, sickness, disease, crime, wicked people, etc. He has promised to watch over you and certainly that is enough. 

He says "I will not leave you, this is a personal guarantee from God Himself. There maybe obstacles in your journey but be rest assured that you're not alone. Whatever you're going through right now should not stop you from where you're going to. Be totally assured and confident that when God is in control, nothing gets out of control. Enjoy every moment of the journey. 

Further Scripture Study: Hebrews 13:5 

Declare This: Dear Father, It's with great joy in my heart to know that You are with me throughout my journey of life. Thank You for Your covering, guidance and direction as I go through this adventure of life in Jesus name Amen.

HE KEEPS COMING BACK

And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 1 Sam 3:1 KJV

God's desire is to draw us close, but most times we remove ourselves from Him. We can’t hear or understand His voice when we for whatever excuse that we concoct fail to worship Him or revere His Word. God speaks, but we hear only when we are tuned to His voice. 

If you’re going to hear God’s voice & know how to respond to Him, you’ve got to be in the same room as He is. That’s why Church attendance is very critical; God could speak to you through your Pastor. Jesus said: "Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of you." Another, but no less critical activity that places you "in the same room, is "Prayer". I’m not just talking about emergency prayers but a "sit down and spend time with God" type of prayer. 

When you feel a call or an urging or a nudge, seek out the counsel of someone you trust (your pastor preferably), someone who might be able to help you interpret what’s going on. Samuel went to Eli (James 5:13-15). I love the way God keeps coming back to Samuel in this passage. Four times God came and called Samuel’s name before Samuel finally got it. God is remarkably loving and patient. If you approach the Bible with a sincere and listening heart, God will speak to you through His word. You may not get it all the first time, but He keeps coming back.

Further Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:20 

Declare This: Heavenly Father, my spirit is open to hearing You talk to me regarding the truth I need in my life right now. You have all the answers I need in Jesus name Amen.

LIVING IN THE PAST

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here." 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 

If I gave you a piece of paper and asked you to write down the greatest disappointments of your life; I wonder what you would put down. It’s not just that you said something you shouldn’t have said, it’s that you can’t unsay it. Apologies are good, but they don’t unsay the hurtful or angry things we have said. It’s not just that you took this drug or that drug or drank this or that, it’s that you can’t untake those drugs or undrink what you drank, and you can’t change whatever consequences you and your loved ones suffered as a result. 

The Lord told Joshua, "Moses is dead". What the Lord is saying here is that you can't change the past. The Lord wants the people to know that they weren’t going to change the fact, so they needed to move forward toward the promise land. What Moses had accomplished was great but those accomplishments were not to be looked at as the end. What Moses had accomplished was actually the preparation that they needed for the next step.

Jesus has called us to live in the Present-tense & not the Past-tense. Living in the past is unhealthy, it stunts future growth, it brings lack of direction, it controls you and dictates to your future. Do what you have to do today because yesterday is gone, it will never come back or relive itself. Refuse to let ignorance of the past play tricks on you because ignorance is very affordable - it is one of the prerequisite for failure. When you keep living in the past, you are placing yourself up for failure. Let go of the past.

Further Scripture Study: Philippians 3:13; Joshua 1:1 

Declare This: Dear Lord, my mind is stayed on You. I focus on my future and I let go of all the unnecessaries of the past in Jesus name Amen.

IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Worship is an essential necessity that has to be practiced every day. According to our opening scripture God is a Spirit and worshiping Him must be from the spirit. We must understand that worship is our moment of adoration to God and It excites Him when we do. Don’t look at worship as something that is done only in the presence of people, it’s an everyday experience, you must give adequate time to worshiping God. The fact that He is a Spirit means that He is not confined to one location at a time. He is omnipresent. He has existed as spirit for all eternity, before He created the material universe.

It’s important to worship in spirit and in truth because to worship in spirit without truth is to worship false gods and to worship in truth without spirit is religion. How can one worship in spirit and in truth you may ask; Worshiping the Father in Spirit is to worship from the heart or from within while Worshiping God in Truth as revealed to us in His Word means to worship Him for all that He is in the majesty of His attributes.

Worshiping God in the spirit puts you in the right will of God for your life. There are some Christians who are not in the will of God for their lives. They are either in the wrong job, business, place, relationship (wrong marriage) etc. True worship is an Offering to God.

Further Scripture Study: Hebrews 12:28-29; Psalms 100:4-5 

Declare This: Thank You Father for I make You my focal point of worship. I pour out my heart in true worship of Your name in Jesus name Amen.

SPIRITUAL EYES

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

A woman walks in a store to return a pair of eyeglasses that she had purchased for her husband a week before. "What seems to be the problem, madam?" "I’m returning these glasses I bought for my husband. He’s still not seeing things the way I want him to."

There is a lasting and powerful spiritual dimension that far exceeds what the  physical eyes can take in. There are forces at work in our universe that if we could see them, we would quake in our boots. I am not talking about ghosts of disembodied and departed souls like what horror movies show, but about spiritual beings that the Bible describes such as Seraphim, Cherubim, awesome and fearful creatures, demons and Angels that have assignments, tasks and responsibilities that are taking place all around us every day, unseen to our physical eyes.

You can’t always trust your eyes because what you think you know will affect what you see. I encourage you to use your spiritual eyes more, begin to see into your future now. Don’t let what you think you know keep you from experiencing what He wants to do in your life today.

Further Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:13 

Prayer Guide: Dear God, I know You are the God who knows and sees the future. I put my trust in You to enable me see the great and mighty things You have for me in my future in Jesus name Amen.

TWO PATHS

"But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble". Proverbs 4:18-19 KJV

The Word of God hath imposed upon man a choice of alternatives. Two human (Man & Woman), two animal form (male & female), two ways, two ends, two characters, two consequences, two aims or objects, two states or conditions, two forces (Positive & negative) etc; and two paths. There is the Path of the Just and the path of the wicked; which path do you belong to?

The path of the just is as the shining light; the "just" man is one that is made righteous through the righteousness of Christ imputed to him; and who is created anew in Christ, in righteousness and true holiness; and, under the influence of divine grace. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous". God is a Just God and He leads His children in the right path to follow. The Path of the Just is the path of Light, It is the awakening of a new day; Psalms 119:105 says "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet & a light unto my path". It is the Path that Leads to the Perfect Day (Full day, The day of The Lord), it is also the path of protection and the path of instruction.

The path of the wicked is the way of darkness, the way of ignorance, the way of Blunder, the way of evil (Prov 4:14) and also the way of rebellion; rejecting the Word and Will of God. This path is very dangerous, it produces fear and leads to death. But on the other hand, the path of the Just leads to life and godliness. 

Choose today the path you will follow; I encourage you to follow the path of the just because when you do, the grace of God stands by you all the way and on that path you are like a watered garden that will never run dry.

Further Scripture Study: Ephesians 6:14; 1 John 3:2; Prov 4:11-12, 13 

Declare This: Lord Jesus, I walk continually in the path of the just because You are the Lamp unto my feet & the Light unto my path in Jesus name Amen.

TALK, THINK AND DO IT

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful." Joshua 1:8 AMP

After the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua. He told him it was time to move with the people from where they are to the promised land. God told him, I will give you every place where you set your foot upon, as I promised Moses and no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:1-5). One of the important ways that Joshua listened to God was by paying attention to His Word. God’s Word not only told him what to do, but the kind of person he was to become.

God says, "Joshua, I’m guaranteeing you success if you’ll be careful to obey all the law. And the way to do that is not to turn from it either to the left or to the right. In other words, don’t become sidetracked but stay in My Word. God told Joshua three ways to stay in the Word. The first is to “Talk about it.” "Don’t let the Word of God depart from your mouth." It is not enough just to read the Word. We need to talk about it, discuss it, learn it. Secondly, God says, "Think about it," "meditate on it day & night." Spend time to chew and mutter the Word and thirdly, God says "Do it". Put it into practice." "...be careful to do everything written in it, then you will be prosperous & successful." Take the teachings & principles out into the world & live them every day.

God told Joshua to Talk, Think and to Do; this means he has to step out in faith, acting on the Word. Someone said, "Sin will keep you from reading the Bible. But reading the Bible will keep you from sin." So don’t neglect it. God has already defeated sin. God has already won the victory on Calvary. But we’re still standing knee deep in the water, waiting for that one day we will see Him in all of His Glory. If you are going to win and be successful everyday, you have to always talk the Word of God, Meditate on it consistently and put the Word to work by activating the real you - your faith. 

Further Scripture Study: Philippians 4:9 KJV

Declare This: Dear Father, as You have instructed; I will always Talk the Word, Meditate on it, and Do the Word without hesitation. My faith is propelled and activated to win everyday of my life in Jesus name Amen.

HE DID IT ALL

"And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:12 NIV

One question comes to mind, how do you know you are qualified for God's job? Is it by your certificates, degrees, experiences and skills? Emphatically No! All this cannot be done by your abilities. The Bible says "Not be power nor by might but by His Spirit". 

To be qualified in God's kingdom, you didn't have to do anything because He has already done it all for you (He died for you, took your sins, abused, beaten, was buried, rose up from the dead, ascended & He is alive, sent the Holy Spirit to us, taught us what to do, how to do and why we have to do). All we needed to do was to accept His qualification for us. You don't have to keep applying to be qualified. 

Remember the story of Joseph? His brothers hated him because his father loved him most and he had dreams (Genesis 37:8). Eventually, his brothers sold him and they gave their father a false report about Joseph. Remember that at the point when he was sold it didn’t seem like things were going to be in his favor. He could have given up on his dreams and God's promises but instead he held on and remained faithful. We all know how the story ended. 

When you realize all our Lord Jesus Christ went through to qualify you as a sharer in the inheritance, you will forever give thanks and be joyful always. No matter what comes your way, you know deep within you that you are qualified, endorsed, confirmed and approved of your inheritance in the kingdom of light.

Further Scripture Study: 1 Samuel 16:7; Zechariah 4:6 

Declare This: Heavenly Father I appreciate You, You love me so much and You qualified me a bona-fide citizen and partaker of the inheritance in Your kingdom in Jesus name Amen.

YOUR TRUE VALUE

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness". 2 Peter 1:3 NIV

When you walk into a store to buy something, there's usually a price tag on each item on display. The price tag tells you the "value" of what you want to buy and guides you in your purchase. God demonstrated clearly and explicitly what your true value is when He sent Jesus to die for you. He didn't send the most senior angel in heaven to die for you nor did He send all the angels at once. He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for you (John 3:16). To God, that was the best price tag for you.

What is your true value? How do you value yourself? What do you do to put value on yourself? To value means worth, merit or importance, cost, equivalent etc. This means you are worth more than you can behold. If you're going to value yourself; you have to start out by appreciating yourself. It has to be generated from within you because in life, the value others place on you is based on the value you place on yourself. No man can make you happy nor sad, it's your choice to be happy, joyful, sad, depressed or excited.

Also never let the memories of the past hold you back or dictate to you how much you're worth, let go of it. Don't be deprived or oppressed by the past memories, no matter how often or how long you brood over the past, you can't change it, so don't expend your time and energy on it. Your future value is greater than your past value. 

Further Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:18; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 

Declare This: Dear Lord, I thank You for placing such high value on me. I recognize and hold my value with high esteem and dignity in Jesus name Amen.

IT ALL BELONGS TO YOU

"So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God". 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NIV

There are certain passages in the Bible that just jump off the page and takes a strong hold on you, and the verses above is one of them. When you read 1 Corinthians, you'll find yourself arrested by these verses, I strongly encourage you to take out some time to study the chapters for yourself. 

Most of us spend too many waking hours thinking about the problems we have, bills we must pay and day to day frustrations. We focus on what we lack instead of what we have. We should be thinking of the good that is about us, the encouraging achievements of the past, the great blessing of the present and the ample potentials of the future. 

All things belongs to you, the world is yours; such a powerful statement that cannot be ignored. Sometimes it seems the world is passing us by without paying the slightest bit of attention. The Christian is the possessor of this life and its fullness...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). You are Christ's, and Christ is of God. The future belongs to us because we belong to Christ. Without Christ, we have nothing to anticipate but despair. All things are yours because you belong to Him and your future is as secure as His.

Further Scripture Study: Romans 8:17; Matthew 5:5 

Declare This: Dear Father, I thank You for giving me all things to enjoy without paying for it. I take full advantage of these blessings accorded to me in Jesus name Amen.

WHAT CAN YOU SEE

"And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the King thereof, and the mighty men of valor." Joshua 6:2 KJV

It’s very important what you see as the Word of God comes to you. If you can see yourself in the Word coming to you, it’ll surely work for you. God said to Joshua, “See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the King thereof, and the mighty men of valor”. God had given Joshua Jericho to possess. What do you see when God's Word comes to you? What are the thoughts that fill your mind when you hear the Word? Some think the Word of God is too bizarre and unrealistic hence they miss their blessing for not accepting the Word.

When your heart is dominated by your senses, it’ll be very difficult to see the visions of God as the Word comes to you. This is why someone can come into church for service and leave without being affected by the Word, that is, not inspired in any way; no motivation whatsoever. How sad! Every time you hear God’s Word that talks about your success, prosperity, victory, divine health, and so on, personalize that Word and start seeing yourself in the reality of it.

When you do this consistently, you’ll discover that defeat, failure, sickness and poverty are driven far from you. “How you see will determine your level of faith". 

Further Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:25 

Declare This: Dear Father, I see with the eyes of faith and I declare that the Word of God is all I need to always see clearly in Jesus name Amen.

TESTING GOD

"So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” Exodus 17:2 NIV

Time and time again we read in the scriptures about the children of Israel “testing” God in the wilderness after He freed them from their slavery in Egypt. But this kind of “testing” was not a good thing. They tested His patience, they tested His anger, they tested His mercy & His forgiveness. They were constantly complaining, disobeying His commands. 

So Moses said to the people, “Why do you put the Lord to the test?” This words were again spoken from the lips of Jesus, when Satan comes to tempt Him in the wilderness after His baptism. Three times Satan tries to get Jesus to sin, to take the easy way out. But Jesus rebuked him & said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Luke 4:12). Don't test God out of your own selfish desires and ideas.

There is one way in which we are told to put God to the test. We are to test His promises. For example in Matthew 11:28 He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, and I will give you rest." Have you tried that? He also said, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33). Have you tried that also? You see, God always keeps His promises. Just as the Men of old passed the test, God has always passed the test. You can trust Him to keep His word.

Further Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 6:16 

Declare This: Dear Father, I will not test You with anything I can do with my faith but I'll follow the instruction and promises You have given me in Jesus name Amen.

SENSITIVE TO GOD

"Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever] Romans 8:6 AMP

It's so important to understand that we cannot live without the Word of God. It's like a man living his life in total blindness and not know it. There are others who think they know God's Word but deep within themselves they don't. Never assume that you know God's Word until you personally go into the scriptures and do the searching out. 

The King James Version of our text verse says "to be spiritually minded is life and peace"; As Christians, we have the Spirit of Christ and it's so important for us to be conscious of this Truth. This consciousness gives life and brings the peace of God that passes all understanding. Enoch was a man who was very God conscious, he walked with God, he enjoyed a constant companionship with God and wherever Enoch went, God was with him. Enoch was always aware that He was there.

The one who is sensitive to God is Graced. It's easy for him/her to pray and talk with God. He places his hand in God in times of trouble and even the threat of death causes no undue concern to him. Satan’s power to tempt is greatly reduced because the Greater One dwells on the inside. He is ever thankful and he recognizes that his God is the source of every good gift in his life. The man sensitive to God never forgets that God is everything he desires, needs and want.

Further Scripture Study: Hebrews 4:13; Gen 5:24; James 1:17 

Declare This: Father I choose to be sensitive of You at all times. I open my spirit to You and I recognize that You are everything I ever need and want in Jesus name Amen.

DON'T PUT YOURSELF DOWN

"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." Philemon 1:6 KJV. 

Putting yourself down can be damaging to your self-esteem and self-confidence. This includes the words you say out loud in addition to your internal self-talk. Negative words as well as thoughts can be very believable and they distort your perception about yourself. They impact on your sense of self-worth. When you talk negatively about yourself to others, the words have a greater effect. You’re also making it easier for others to put you down, but the good news is that you can stop putting yourself down and build your self-esteem.

Some may put themselves down because of a feeling of insecurity, believing you’re not worthy or probably because of a habit. You could be used to saying “I can’t,” “I don’t have,” “I’m ugly,” “I’m stupid” or “I’m useless.” You might have been put down by others in the past and you accepted all they said, believing it’s better to put yourself down before anyone else does.

Putting anyone down, including yourself, is emotional bullying. Most of us consider bullying from others as a bad thing, so why bully yourself? It seems like we have a double standard and treat others better than we treat ourselves. It’s not okay to put anyone down and that includes yourself.

You can’t control what others say about you but you can control what you say about yourself. There are ways you can take to stop putting yourself down; (1). Talk about yourself in a healthy manner; (2). Pay attention to your negative talking; (3). Stop comparing yourself to other people. Almost everyone does this, and it can be very destructive to your self esteem. Judging yourself against someone else, whether it's their looks, grades, personality, popularity, achievements will always leave you unsatisfied. There will always be someone who seems to be better looking, or smarter, or cooler than you are. But these people aren't perfect, either. Focus on your strengths and what makes you great.

Further Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:23 

Declare This: Dear Lord, You wonderfully and fearfully made me in Your image and likeness; therefore I will never put myself down in anyway. I will always communicate the right words about me in Jesus name Amen.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STIR

"That is why I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment] which is in you through the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]". 2 Timothy 1:6 AMP

Sad to say that some Christians after receiving the power of God (been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit), they have allowed the power lie dormant in them. So often times you find it's difficult to even pray for just 3 minutes or even study the Word of God. Also you'll find out that they pray to God for what already belongs to them. The Lord, through His Word, shows us that we're responsible for stirring and energizing His power in us. It's not God's responsibility but yours.

Following our text scripture, Paul was admonishing Timothy to fan into flame that inner fire of the gift of God in him. For Paul to give such an advice, it only means that he must have been doing same, he must have been fanning the flame of God inside of him despite the challenges and situations he must have faced. It's no use praying to God to send more power down from Heaven or send more anointing, the anointing which is the power of God is in you already, but you have to stir it up, activate it and put it to work.

One sure way you can stir up yourself is praying; Praying in the Holy Ghost helps stir up the power of God resident in your spirit and it gives you unstoppable progress that your enemies cannot deny. It helps enlarge your perspective of God’s potency in your life and it help in fine-tuning and sensitizing your spirit man to the voice of God. keep fanning the flame.

Further Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 1:20 

Declare This: Dear Lord, I know I am responsible for stirring up my spirit always in line with Your Word, I refuse to allow my flesh dictate to me in Jesus name Amen.

YOUR SUPPLICATION

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6 KJV

In this verse, Paul lays out three very important steps to move from fear to faith, from turmoil to peace, and from defeat to victory. This three key words tells us exactly what we must do when worry and concerns are trying to assail our minds. They are Prayer, Supplication and Thanksgiving. 

Supplication means that we seek God and bring our cares and needs before Him. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." We can confidently come before God’s throne and freely receive His mercy and forgiveness and then we can seek His grace for whatever we require for life and godliness. Psalms 55:22 clarifies this even more by telling us to cast our burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain us. When we trust Him with our need, He will not allow us to be shaken and That's a great promise.

The problem most people have is that they are unwilling to cast their burdens on God. They want to first see how God is going to handle the problem or they are not sure if He is able to handle it, so they hold on thinking that they can do a better job that God can. When you are facing a problem that deeply concerns you, don’t be afraid to go to the Lord and earnestly beseech Him to meet your need. Paul’s use of this word means you can get very bold when you ask God to move on your behalf. There is no reason for you to be timid or weak when you pray. You can tell God exactly what you feel, what you’re facing, and what you want Him to do for you. This is what “supplication” is all about.

Further Scripture Study: Ephesians 6:18 

Declare This: Dear Father, I come boldly to Your throne of Grace and with thanksgiving in my heart. I am grateful for everything You have done in my life in Jesus name Amen.

YOUR SHIELD OF FAITH

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Ephesians 6:16 KJV

Paul says, “…Taking the shield of faith….” The word “taking” is from the word "analambano", which is a compound of the Greek words ana and lambano. The word ana means "up, back, or again"; the word lambano means "to take up or to take in hand". When compounded together, it means "to take something up in hand or to pick something back up again". This plainly means your shield of faith can be either picked up or laid down. It places the responsibility on you as to whether you will use your shield of faith or allow yourself to go through life unprotected. 

If you want to employ the use of your faith, you must make the choice to take it in hand and to place it in front of you. It will not assume its defensive position over your life by accident. Your faith will only operate in your life the way it was meant to do when you choose to pick it up and put it where it belongs - out in front of you.

If you ever go into battle without your shield of faith, you are making a mistake you will seriously regret. Keeping your shield of faith in position is not an option, if you intend to overcome the enemy and win the battles that are before you. Therefore, I urge you not to go into battle without this all-important piece of your spiritual armor. If you fail to keep that protective shield in front of you, you leave yourself exposed and vulnerable to the deadly strikes of your adversary, the devil.

Further Scripture Study: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Declare This: Dear Lord, I thank You for giving me a shield of faith that completely covers me from head to toe. From today I commit myself to always hold on to it in Jesus name Amen.

HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6 KJV

How hungry are you for God? Is your hunger low or running over like springs of living water? David, was a man after God’s own heart, but why did God loved him so much? His hunger for God, he kept on filling himself with God (God's Word, Praises, Love). So, what are you filling yourself with? Jesus said if you have a hunger for righteousness (meaning to be right with God), you will be filled. Many today are hungering and thirsting for God in their lives, but not being filled because they aren’t filling themselves with the right things.

Because you had a wonderful time last Sunday doesn't mean you shouldn't go to church next Sunday. When you're hungry for God, you'll always desire to be in His presence all the time. Psalm 122:1 says "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. David had his heart set for the things of God only.

The more you talk about your hunger and think about it, the hungrier you become. The more you talk about your hunger for God, the more hungrier for Him you'll become and the more He is available for you. A pregnant woman has hunger for some cravings and always hungry with weird appetite. This is the same way your hunger should be for the Word of God. Being hungry for the Holy Spirit or the Word of God is a blessing on its own. Stay hungry in Him and be filled. 

Further Scripture Study: Psalms 34:8 

Declare This: Dear Father, I hunger and taste for You daily. I choose to be constantly filled of You in Jesus name Amen. 

IT TAKES TWO

And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3 AMP

Having clearly in Ezekiel's mind the picture of a helpless, impossible and impracticable situation, God posed a question to him, can these bones live? Knowing the One in whom he trusted Ezekiel responded ‘O Lord God, You know.’ While the question is somewhat rhetorical, Ezekiel's answer was not one of uncertainty but with the assurance that with God all things are possible. This should be the mindset of every believer; we worship a God Who knows all, the beginning from the end, the Alpha and the Omega.

It takes two to complete the job; you start & He finishes. There was a gradual progression in the process of restoring the bones to life. Ezekiel says as "I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them" (verse 7-8). 

God’s power can change any situation and give life to anything dead. When you play your part in any circumstance you find yourself, expect God to do His part. He never fails to play His part. like the saying, it takes two to tangle; this is the same with God. There are no hard cases, no problems too big for our God and no situation that we face that comes as a surprise to Him.

Further Scripture Study: Jeremiah 32:27; 1 Corinthians 3:10 

Declare This: Precious Heavenly Father, You are the God of all impossibilities and nothing can limit You. Thank You for making alive and changing any unwanted situation in my life in Jesus name Amen.

THINKING TOO MUCH

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23, NIV

There are some who are thinkers. They ponder, muse, speculate, evaluate, and explore everything. If it were possible, they could help you think of things in your own mind. A certain amount of self-evaluation can be good. We should have insight into ourselves, our motives, our choices, our actions and our thoughts. 

Sometimes thinking too much can be exciting, productive, adrenaline-inducing and other times it can be stressful, burdensome and depressing. Overthinking will complicates things because when you over-think about something you are most definitely complicating it. Thinking too much turns something simple into something so complicated in your mind; to the point where coming out of the complication seems impossible.

Sometimes it makes you live in fear and you find yourself never taking the right action. An over-thinker constantly keeps on thinking of the worst possible outcomes, to every situation and scenario. It cripples your inner strength and paralyses your faith.

I encourage you to find ways to channel your thoughts with God's thoughts by staying in His Word. When you do, you'll become creative or productive in anything you choose to embark on without thinking too much.

Further Scripture Study: Exodus 14:14

Declare This: Dear Father, my mind is in You Lord and my heart is Yours too. I will not allow my mind overthink what You have already settled in Your Word in Jesus name Amen.

ABLE GOD

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV

One of the most important things we need to realize as Christians is that God is the ultimate Source of everything. All the stuff that you “own” really comes not from your provision but from God’s. Everything that you have belongs to God; yes everything. The money, the house you live in, car you drive, family that you have and the life you are living, all belong to God. Everything comes from God and therefore He is the Owner. If He owns it all, we are just the managers of what He has. 

Our biggest challenge in all of this is the fact that we think we are the owners of all our stuff. So, we start acting like the owners and start calling the shots. Whatever it is you think you own cannot be compared to the fullness of what God has in store for you. He has promised to make all grace abound towards you so that you will always be sufficient in all things. The promise of God does not change, if He said, He will definitely do it. 

He is Our Able God and He has never broken a promise and He never will. He is worthy of your trust and when you place your trust in Him you will never go wrong. The sufficiency of the grace of God and the resources that God’s grace gives us are abundant, so take full advantage of the grace availed to you. Depend solely on Him, when you do, you will abound in every good work.

Further Scripture Study: Ephesians 3:20 

Declare This: Dear Father, I will always depend and hold on to the grace You have released into my life. I am forever grateful for Your promise to me in Jesus name Amen.

REJOICE

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4 KJV

Someone may ask is it really possible to rejoice always? What does this mean? Am I supposed to go around with a constant smile on my face? Is it wrong to feel depressed or sad? Am I supposed to deny pain or sorrow? How can you command a feeling, anyway? Just reading the verse might even get some people depressed, because they despair of ever being able to do it.

We need to recognize that what Paul commands here is as plain as it can be. He tells us to rejoice in the Lord always, he thought so much of this, he repeated himself in the same breath. This means to rejoice in him regardless of our challenges and circumstances, whether favorable or not. You may ask, why do I need to rejoice all the time, why do I need to be joyful always, What do I have to rejoice about, especially when it looks like my world is falling apart? I’ll give you three reasons why you should rejoice.

Firstly, because of "what He has done". Secondly, because of "what He’s doing now". Regardless of whether you realize it or not, God has given you innumerous blessings. And right now, He’s preparing you to receive much more blessings. Thirdly, because of "what He will do". He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Further Scripture Study: Psalms 9:2; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 1:3  

Declare This: Dear Father, I choose to be joyful always. I will not allow the cares of the world dictate my joy level in Jesus name Amen.

HE FILLS YOU UP

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Luke 6:21 NIV

Do you know that you did absolutely nothing for God to make you His child? Yet, He said if you are hunger now - He will fill you. You are a blessed person if you’re hungry for the Truth, for Righteousness and for the Living God. Nothing in this world can fully satisfy a heart that has been made by God and made for God. Only God can give you all the satisfaction you will ever need. If you are hungry for Him then you are a blessed man.

Many are living their lives on the wrong things, such as alcohol, drugs and habits just because they are trying to fill a void, but unfortunately the more they try, the more it gets worse and worse. Some have tried several other ways to have peace and be fulfilled with life, but of no avail. The best and only way to fill any kind of void is when you allow God to fill you. He is the Only One whose fulfillment is guaranteed. No matter how deep the hole may be, God is the Best to fill you up.

I believe that deep in the heart of every man and woman on the face of the Earth, there is a missing link to our lives that can only be filled with the missing piece and that piece is a relationship with God. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” If you are going to fill whatever missing link, you have to genuinely seek His face and wholeheartedly call on Him for help. It’s a relationship and an everyday fellowship with Him. The promise of seeking God is that you will surely find Him. Try Him out, you will never regret it.

Further Scripture Study: Isaiah 58:11 

Declare This: Thank You Heavenly Father for Your love and the freedom to come to You. The more I seek You, the more I find You in Jesus name Amen.