Your Refreshing Daily Devotional

John the Beloved was banished to the isle of Patmos. From there he had the heavens open and that was where he had incredible access to the mysteries of the ages, hence the book of Revelation was born. On his part, John Bunyan wrote his classic PILGRIM’S PROGRESS from jail as well. The Pilgrim’s Progress was first published in 1678. Ten years later, in 1688 John Bunyan died. The book has now been translated to about 200 languages and has been used as story line for film. Apart from the Bible, no other book has been more popular than this. It is one book that profoundly influenced the likes of C. S. Lewis and Mark Twain. These two works were produced in unlikely circumstances. Every time I read the genealogy presented by Matthew, I never stopped to consider that the people of God produced before captivity as well as in captivity. Nothing could stop their increase.

If believers truly understand the stuff they are made of, it will be easy to walk tall anywhere and under any circumstances…You have the word of God residing in you, and that makes you unstoppable.

If believers truly understand the stuff they are made of, it will be easy to walk tall anywhere and under any circumstances. From our text, the new birth experienced by every believer is by the word of God. The word has several attributes. From the text alone, we understand that it is incorruptible. Moreover, it says that the word lives and abides forever. Simply put, it is undying! Paul also had a description for the word; and it is the fact that it cannot be bound (2Timothy 2:9). The word can never be bound, yet it has the capacity to set the captives free. The prevailing nature of the word is the reason why Paul was still doing ministry when he was behind bars. He wrote several of his epistles from jail. You have the word of God residing in you, and that makes you unstoppable.

One of the dictums at the Citadel Global Community Church is, “Lord, enlarge my capacity to receive, to retain, and to deploy in times to come.” With God, there is no limit to His ability or resources to bless; but we are often without the requisite capacity to receive. This is how many of God’s children are shortchanged. An experience helped me to appreciate the importance of enlarging our spiritual capacity. I once received some funds in trust to be given to two brothers. I transferred to the first beneficiary without any hitch, but not so lucky with the other candidate. On two or three different occasions the response I got was “transfer limit exceeded on beneficiary account”. Well, I am aware that a limit is usually set for sending. But for receiving, that sounded novel to me. I had to call the brother to crosscheck; and truly he actually set a limit on the amount of money that could be transferred to him!

With God, there is no limit to His ability or resources to bless; but we are often without the requisite capacity to receive…God has no limit to what He can transfer to us…Our unbelief is a cardinal way by which we limit what God can do in our lives.

God has no limit to what He can transfer to us. Mind you, we are not just talking in terms of cash here. This includes all other graces of heaven. James reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from God the Father. There is no constraint on God and His ability to bless us lavishly. However, like the story of the brother mentioned earlier, we are often the ones who set limits on what should be released into our lives. Our unbelief is a cardinal way by which we limit what God can do in our lives. Dealing with unbelief at its root is invariably increasing our capacity to receive.

God’s word contains rules of engagement for those who want to seek Him acceptably. Isaiah declares, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6 NKJV. This is a call for urgency. It resonates with what is noted in Ecclesiastes: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them” Ecclesiastes 12:1 NKJV. Things of God cannot be postponed till later. As part of the rule of seeking Him, there must be purity of motive. While Jesus was reasoning with the woman of Samaria by the well, He declared that God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and truth. This is the missing gap among many seekers today. Most seek the Lord with insincerity, in the flesh, and for ulterior motives.

When we follow these rules of engagement, every blessing, both spiritual and material will begin to follow us.

All gospel accounts show how people thronged Jesus during His earthly ministry. However, not everybody came close with pure motives. For example, the Pharisees and Sadducees were among those who resorted to Him, but not for the right reason. They did not come to learn from His wisdom, rather their motive was to trap Him. Others sought Him basically because they wanted their appetites satisfied. Jesus had a sharp rebuke for this group. The primary reason for which to seek God is that He is God and deserves our worship. Next to do that should be the fact that He is the way to the kingdom and its righteousness thereof. When we follow these rules of engagement, every blessing, both spiritual and material will begin to follow us.

It is a proven fact that environmental factors play a crucial role in moulding the lives of people. Those who grow up in positive environments have a bright chance of leading a positive life, while those who are not so favoured by good environments may have a hard time adjusting in life. Those who have understood the power of environment spare no expense to create the kind of environment which will aid their goals in life.

God did not make us to be subservient to the environment. He gave us the gift of dominion with which we can subdue the environment. You don’t have to be a slave of the environment that you find yourself in…

However, not everything about us is totally determined by environment. A few examples in scriptures will clearly show that individuals’ values and choices are equally powerful in determining what we become. Eli, the priest at Shiloh, had an impeccable record with God. There was not a stain to his character. However, his children who grew up watching the spotless character of their father did not reflect what they saw in their immediate environment. Their disregard for the things of God was the reason God banished his lineage from priesthood. Samuel’s experience was like a clone of that of Eli. He, too, had a rave review by God; but his children corrupted both the people of Israel and their offerings. Their misbehavior was one of the things the people provided as an alibi for demanding a king. Here, too, we see how a good environment did not automatically translate into a good life. Finally, Obadiah lived in the palace of one the most corrupt kings, Ahab, and did not participate in his evil. Rather, he risked his life to preserve the prophets of God. God did not make us to be subservient to the environment. He gave us the gift of dominion with which we can subdue the environment. You don’t have to be a slave of the environment that you find yourself in; engage God’s Spirit in you to subdue it to divine counsel.

In our previous meditation, credit was given to God who has shown faithfulness since the launch of our ministry. His help silenced the adversary in the days of battle, and His wisdom has stayed our ship on course. There is another angle to the help of God witnessed over these years, and it is the fact that He has blessed our ministry with the gift of men and women. Some put their professional expertise at the disposal of the ministry, while others volunteered their financial and material resources to advance our operations. There are those who stand in the all important role of intercessors. It is like what Paul described as every joint making its supply for the overall benefit of the body.

God does not call someone to fulfill a purpose without gifting him with people to help along. Purposes, no matter how divine in origin, are doomed without a buying in from others…Life will be frustratingly difficult without some human gift tagging along.

God does not call someone to fulfill a purpose without gifting him with people to help along. Purposes, no matter how divine in origin, are doomed without a buying in from others. Proverbs 29:18 says that where there is no vision, the people perish. An equally valid side is that where there are no people, a vision perishes. It is the gift of people that makes our life’s pursuit easier. Life will be frustratingly difficult without some human gift tagging along. If you already have some human gifts in your life, cherish them. They could be your spouse, parents, mentors, colleagues at work, or friends. Appreciate them, and never take them for granted.

The iconic gospel singer, Sinach, has been credited with many award-winning songs. One that particularly stands out is the album titled WAY MAKER. In that song that has received global acclaim and copyrighted by many giants, she describes God as Way Maker, Promise Keeper, and Light in the darkness. What stands out for me is her description of God as Promise Keeper. You may choose to call that Joshua’s song. When he took over the saddle of leadership, Israel was at the verge of entering the Promised Land. Towards the end of his career, he summed up with our text. God had not defaulted on any of the things He promised the children of Israel.

God is always faithful to His promises, and we can rely on Him. If God gives you a word, hold on to it. When the howling storms of fear and doubt assail you, keep your focus on what He has spoken.

I also can relate and call God the Promise Keeper. Exactly 28 years ago, we inaugurated what was then known as Revival Peoples’ Church, which has since been re-christened Firstlove Assembly. I have seen God’s promises come to pass one after another. I remember precisely at some tumultuous point in the journey when God said, “I won’t let the devil go all the way.” He fulfilled that word and many others; and that’s why we are still alive and serving today. What we are saying in essence is that God is always faithful to His promises, and we can rely on Him. If God gives you a word, hold on to it. When the howling storms of fear and doubt assail you, keep your focus on what He has spoken.