RHEMA From Heaven

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). Putting on the armour of God is something you do or must do as a Christian. The armour of God is a divine arsenal that God makes available for us as His children.
This armour is for our safety and victory in this evil world. The armour positions you to stand against the wiles of the devil. Every Child of God is into a contest with the evil forces of this world. Never lose sight of that.

You see, the world is not only physical. It also has a spiritual dimension. There are satanic entities that constantly try to rob the believer of his entitlements in the Lord. You must know that even though God has promised you wonderful things in His word, they don’t just happen. There will be fights and battles to engage in.

One truth you must know is that, making it in this world involves fighting spiritual battles. You must engage in a spiritual contest to claim what is yours in Christ. Not only that, you must also engage in spiritual battle to keep what God has blessed you with.

Know that, Anytime you pray, study the word, exercise your faith, and preach the gospel to others, you are actually putting on the armor. Interestingly, I have heard people pray like this “I put on the armor of God, I stand against any devilish work…”. Well this is no prayer at all. It is like you are preparing for work or school, and instead of putting on your shirt and shoes, you begin to pray “I put on my shirt and shoes”. In fact, you may sound spiritual, but your shoes and shirt will wait for you till you put them on.

You don’t pray the armour of God on you, rather you deploy it into action. Arise today and engage the right approach to any satanic contest by praying always, studying the word (which is the truth) to be well vested in the things that pertain to your salvation and righteousness, and victory in this sin and evil dominated world.

Read: Ephesians 6:11-12 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”

Prayer: Lord, I ask for grace to consciously raise and deploy the armour of God by praying and studying the word. Amen

Whether you like it or not, every action is motivated by a hidden motive. It is the motive you carry that makes you to take a particular course of action or avoid it all together.

You see, your motives and the intentions of your heart is revealed in all that you do.
As a Christian, you must let your actions and inactions come from good and godly motives or intentions.
You see, irrespective of what happens around you or happens to you, wrong motives must not direct the course of your life.

Philippians 2:3 says that
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory…”
The Amplified Bible renders it this way, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife]…

For instance, acting with only your interest without any consideration for others makes you selfish.
Thus, whenever you are only concerned with your own personal profit and pleasure you are being selfish, and that makes your motive.
Philippians 2 :3 says “do nothing out of SELFISH ambition…”
The fact that you must be ambitious about your dreams and visions in life does not mean you must execute it to the detriment of others.

What is the reason behind the things you do in life today? Why are you serving God, why do you serve in the ministry? Why are you in that relationship? Sincere answers to these questions will reveal your motive.

Put your motives right before you act, because God will always look beyond your actions and consider what motives were behind them. You can only hide your motives from men and not God.

The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”.

Put your heart right. Do stuffs because of the right reasons.

Read: Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me”

Prayer: Lord, I pray that from today I will carry the right motive for every action of mine. Amen

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3 ).
Walking with God demands that you believe Him. It is in believing God that you will see awesome manifestations in your life.

Any time you walk with God at the “believing level” or by faith, doubts and fears fade out. When God made a promise to Abram that he will be blessed and become a father of many nations, it took his faith or belief in the word of God to bring it into manifestation.

You see, anything God promises you gets delivered to you when you believe that He (God) is able.
Just like Abram moved from the background of insignificance to significance by believing, the same will be your story as you journey with God this year.

You see, Abram’s belief in the word released him into prosperity, great divine encounters, blessings of the fruit of the womb, and divine protection.
In fact, Abram’s faith in God, moved God to fight for his course without his knowledge.

This new year, be FULLY persuaded in your heart about what God has said about you. When God’s word declares that you are rich and prosperous, believe it and it will manifest.
When God’s word says you are healed, let that be your confession and don’t look at the symptoms of a sickness to determine whether you are healed or not. In fact, your healing is independent of what you may be experiencing in your body at that material moment.

Always look at the Lord, because faithful is He.
Your belief in God will bring you to the shores of rest.

Read :Hebrews 4:3 “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.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to be more steadfast and resolute on your word to see the manifestations in my life. Amen

It is always important to consider your actions and inactions. In giving careful thought to your actions, you must think before you do something. Thus, you consider the action you want to take in the light of God’s word before doing it. This is the only way to avoid unfortunate circumstances or tragedies in life.

You must know that God is interested in you doing the right thing irrespective of the situation you find yourself in.
Deuteronomy 6:18 says ” And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with thee…”,

You see, you can only and always do the right thing if you always think before you act, or you consider the action you want to take by crosschecking with God’s word.

Don’t be a kind of person who do things without any consideration or whatsoever. People who swing into action the moment any thought gets into their mind are headed towards destruction.
Always remember the word in Proverbs 16:25 that says “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.

You see, something “seeming” right does not mean it is right. You have to take a lot of things into consideration before you carry out a mission.

Always give a careful thought to what you want to do. This is what will make you to constantly operate in the will of God, thereby doing what is right before the Lord.

Read :Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for wisdom and grace to always consider my actions to be able to operate in your will. Amen

One of the ways to receive the gifts of the spirit is through “desires”.
That’s why the Bible admonishes Christians to desire spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are special endowment from the Holy Spirit that helps us to minister to the Lord and also to the needs of others. In fact, the Bible says spiritual gifts are given to benefit the body of Christ.

You see, it is by the release of these gifts that our world can be blessed and the body of Christ will also stand in its glory.
For instance with the gifts of healing and special faith, sicknesses will be healed, people can also be imparted to overturn adverse situations.

Also, the gift of word of knowledge and word of wisdom will help us solve problems and guide us in decision making.

You see, the Church will be a glorious and a beautiful place to be in when all these gifts are working in the lives of Christians.
But this can only happen when we redirect our desires towards spiritual gifts. Don’t let material things dominate your desires. Inasmuch as material things are helpful, the benefits of spiritual gifts outweighs every material thing you can ever have.

Direct that your strong feeling of wanting to have something towards spiritual gifts. God is ready to meet your desire for spiritual gifts.

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1 “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy”.

Prayer: Lord, I pray this day that you will help me to redirect my desires to spiritual gifts. Amen

Studying is an important factor in our walk with God. You see, you can’t be a good Christian if your “head” is not good. Because just like your spirit, your head must be flooded with the truth of the Gospel.

Anytime you are into study you devote your time and attention to gaining knowledge of a particular subject matter. It also involves a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation.
Thus, as a Christian studying will involve devoting your time to understand the things of God, the principles of the kingdom of God, and everything that will enhance your walk with God.

You see, until you give yourself to rigorous and consistent study, you will always walk with God at a shallow level. You got to go deep in study if you want to present yourself to God in the right and appropriate manner.

There are many folks today who are only running on the fuel of zeal. In order words, what keeps them going is zeal, passion, enthusiasm but they have no knowledge. Such people have the tendency to fall off when their zeal dwindles.

Another reason, why you have to study as a Christian is for you to be able to accurately handle and skillfully teach the word of truth. You see, the truth you know benefits no one, until you let it loose by teaching others.

God is interested in Christians who are studios. Don’t rush reading God’s word. Give time to studying God’s word in context.
Remember that, when you don’t study, you will become insignificant with the passage of time.

Read: 2Timothy 2:15 “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the grace to be a student of your word to be able to show myself approve and also teach others. Amen

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
One reason for which God redeemed man was to empower him and to put him in the God class of being that was lost through the fall of man. This empowerment and restoration was to enable man work with and for God. That’s why the Bible says, we are created anew in Christ for good works.

Thus we can say that working for and with God is the ultimate call of the believer. You were not saved to sit and watch what goes on in the kingdom neither were you saved just to go to heaven but you were saved to become a worker together with God.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”.

One truth that must dawn on you is that you are saved for works. Thus when you are born again you must be willingly involved in the kingdom business. The work of soul winning and discipleship must be of a great interest to you.

The Apostle Paul by this revelation calls us coworkers with God.
“We then, as workers together with him(God), beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain”. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
1 Corinthians 3:9 also says “For we are labourers together with God…”

You see, you are a worker together with God. That’s why you must not be a pew warmer in church, doing nothing for the kingdom.

Don’t only be zealous to work for yourself and for personal gains. Make the same effort to work for God.

Any work that God has laid on your heart to do with regards to the furtherance of his kingdom, do it. Don’t give excuses or run away from a divine task like Jonah the Prophet.

Work for God!

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:9 “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building”.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that grace for working and laboring in and with you will always be sufficient.

Life is full of cares and burdens. We face difficulties, testings and sometimes persecution and suffering. All these cause stress. But God never intended man to live under such stress. That is why the Bible admonishes us to cast our care unto the Lord. See 1 Peter 5:7; “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” You see cares are not to be carried but casted.

Casting your cares means “to throw or roll upon your worries”. God wants you to roll your burdens upon Him. He wants us to carry anything that makes us anxious to Him.

Interestingly, many people today so often nurse their cares. They burden themselves with the load that the Lord wants to handle for them. For instance some people carry the guilt of sin, fear, sense of unworthiness, etc.

A story was told about a woman who was carrying a load on the head by a roadside. But after been picked up by a generous passer by, the woman still kept her load on her head whiles sitting in the truck. This scene surprised the driver, who later told the woman that “there is space for you and your load” so drop the load and be at ease.

Today, we can say the same thing about some Christians who still carry the load that Christ can bear for them.
Remember that, there is space for you and every issue you have when we come to Jesus.

Learn to cast all your cares unto the Lord. Refuse to pamper and nurse your worries.

Let go the guilt of sin; Let go your worries; Let go your fears; Let go your sense of unworthiness, because God cares for you. God is in charge, there is no cause for alarm. Hallelujah!

Read: Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

Prayer: Lord I pray that from today nothing will be a burden that will weigh me down in life. Amen

The Christian walk is a walk in and with the Spirit. It’s characterized by a life influenced by God’s word and guidance of the Holy Ghost. Our new life as Christians has more to do with the Holy Spirit than our human and fleshy nature. Becoming born again puts us in this higher realm of life.

However many believers have wandered away from this path. Galatians 3:3 says,
“Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?

You see, some Christians begin the Christian life well but end poorly. They suffer from the flesh. They try to accomplish by the flesh what they began by the power of the Spirit. But the truth is maturity does not come by self-effort.

People like this soon conform to the world. They are brought under the influence of worldly appetites and propensities

Thus, for you to journey on in the Lord to the end demands that you start in the Spirit and end with it. You see, as a Christian you must depend on the Spirit’s guidance to make all your choices in life.

Don’t forget that, many great destinies have come to a halt; because many have depended on their effort instead of the Spirit of God.
See what Galatians 6:8 says about this truth: “whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction….”

Continuing in and with the Spirit will keep you on track for the Lord. Arise today: Get back to the word, get back to prayer, get back to yielding to the Spirit which is your sure way to the victorious life…

Continue in the Spirit!

Read: Galatians 3:3, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to continue with and in the spirit life and never come under the influence of worldly appetite and passion.

The Christian walk demands that you excercise the ability to press on on. One thing you shouldn’t stop at as a Christian is forging ahead. You see, being born again does’nt automatically take away opposition and hard times. However, irrespective of the circumstance God wants you to make progress.

The Apostle Paul explains this truth in Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”

Pressing on must be the believers lifestyle considering the awkward oppositions that we face every now and then in our walk with God.

You see, nothing must derail you from the faith. Troubles and tribulations must not make you cast off your faith and give up. No! Inspite of what you face as challenges, you must press on. There’s a prize for your calling as a child of God and until you have mastered the art of pressing on you will miss your entitlement. (Philippians 3:14)

Retreating is not part of our mantra and language. You see, you may not have the best of opportunities today but don’t retreat and compromise your holiness. You don’t retreat working for God. You don’t retreat praying and studying the word. Never! We have just one mandate- Pressing on for the prize of the high calling.

Friend, be encouraged today. Don’t put an end to your walk with God because of perilous outcomes of life. God is destined to usher you into a colourful destiny. But until you endure to the end you might miss it.

PRESS ON! Keep pressing in prayer, in working for God, in holiness. Your reward is close.

Read: Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Amen