I WILL DO A NEW THING

DATE: TUESDAY 1ST JANUARY 2019

THEME: I WILL DO A NEW THING

MEMORISE:

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

READ: Isaiah 43:14-19

14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing;  now it shall spring forth;  shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

MESSAGE

Welcome to a new year! The Almighty God says to you and me, "I will do a new thing." How marvelous it is to begin the new year with this promise from our Father. These are not empty words! They are the declaration of the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sustainer and Redeemer of all things, who  cannot lie. However, for you to partake of the informative power in this word sent from God, all you have to do is believe. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to the ruler of the synagogue in Luke 8:50b, saying:

“Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.”

Beloved, on this first day of the new year, God is telling a user of this devotional, "I will do something new about your spiritual life. Your spiritual status will change from being sinful to being holy. In this new year, you will no longer continue to live a life that saddens My heart, because I have decided to save your soul and cleanse you from all your impurities." If this applies to you, you must take a bold step of faith like Zacchaeus did in Luke 19:1-10, by repenting of your sins and choosing to right your wrongs through the help and power of the Holy Spirit.

As a new year gift for all His faithful children, our Abba Father makes a promise in today's Bible reading to do that which is humanly impossible. If you are numbered among His children, I congratulate you, but if you are not, the new thing promised by the Lord begins with the salvation of your soul. Do you know that everything required for your salvation has already been accomplished by the death of Jesus Christ at Calvary?

A new thing can mean different things to different people, depending on their current state. Have you been living in abject poverty in the past years? Do you work like an elephant but eat like an ant? Has your mortgage repeatedly failed or is your business crumbling under financial difficulties? Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and believe what it says. For a user of this devotional to whom the enemies have said there is no way of escape, the Lord is saying you should not remember the former things nor consider the things of old. Why? It is because this year, that sickness that has devoured your finances shall not  remain in your body. This year, the status of those who desire a godly and blissful marriage will change for the better, and those considered barren will experience fruitfulness. However, for you to partake of the new thing God has promised, you must heed His words to Martha in John 11:40:

“…Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

In this new year, the One who brought forth water from the rock will bring forth the good desires of your heart in Jesus' Name 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, I thank you for bringing me to the beginning of another year. Please fulfill your promise to do a new thing in my life, beginning from today, in Jesus' Name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Matthew 1-3, Isaiah 1:1-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING

1 There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Saviour above.

  

Chorus:

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need;

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

2 There shall be showers of blessing—

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

3 There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord!

Grant to us now a refreshing;

Come, and now honor Thy Word.

4 There shall be showers of blessing;

O that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!

5 There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God have His way.

VESSELS USED OF GOD

DATE: MONDAY 31ST DECEMBER 2018

THEME: VESSELS USED OF GOD

MEMORISE:

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21

READ: 2 Timothy 2:20-22

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

MESSAGE 

The God we serve is very result-oriented. He never does anything just for the fun of it, and so He created every one of us with a purpose in mind. Not one person on this earth exists without a special assignment. He expects our lives so yield pleasant result to Him. Unfortunately, many people live life on their own terms. They just glide through life without a specific divine goal; the wind directs them to the south and they go to the south, and the next minute, the wind carries them to the north and they follow. They do not live their lives with a purpose in mind, because they don’t value their existence.  

There is nothing as rewarding as being used of the Lord; He is the best boss that anyone can ever have. It is only in His organization that every act of service is generously rewarded. However, our God is also driven by His principles. There are things that you have to do in order to be used of Him. First of all, you have to be clean. God will use any type of vessel-broken vessels, young vessels, old vessels, poor vessels- but He will never use a dirty vessel, except, of course, for dirty and irritable things. The Holy Spirit makes this clear in 2 Timothy 2:21, saying:

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Secondly, you have to seek to know what specific assignment God has for you. Your assignment in life is specific to you. For example, even though there were many apostles in the early Church, God still chose Paul and sent him to the Gentiles. Even if it seems like you have similar assignments with your neighbor, you don’t have the same purpose with them. To know your specific purpose, your spiritual eyes must be open and fixed on God’s dictate. When your relationship with God is solid and strong, you will have no problem with keeping your purpose firm and focusing on Jesus. It is also in maintaining a strong relationship with God that you will find strength to do all that He asks of you. As you prepare to enter a new year, desire to know your specific assignment from God, and determine to be focused on it. In this coming year, God will greatly use you for His purpose in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, open my eyes of understanding to comprehend the specific assignment You have for me in life. I am ready Lord, please use me mightily. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Malachi 1-4  John 21:15-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 16: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:

From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:

Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;

Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,

The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;

Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,

Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;

This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;

To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;

He with the King of glory shall reign eternally

X-RAYING THE HEART

DATE: SUNDAY 30th DECEMBER 2018.

THEME:  X-RAYING THE HEART.

MEMORISE:

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:35

READ:  John 12:3-8

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

MESSAGE 

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3

From the above scripture, we understand that everything begins and ends with the word of God. Since the word of God is the architect, designer and builder of all that has ever existed. It means that nothing is hidden from its reach and power. This is good news to all lovers of God’s word. There is no hiding place for Satan to buffet you if the word of Good is your teacher and guide. In today’s world, a lot of people hate the word of God, particularly those aspects that seem to encroach on their pleasures and “fundamental human rights” such as homosexuality, incest, bestiality, alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction. Many hate what God’s word say about these acts not only because they indulge in them but also because these acts serve as the means of livelihood for some of them. I encourage such people to receive the good news of change that come through God’s word today, because the same word will stand to condemn them on the Day of Judgment if they continue to ignore it now. On the Day of Judgment, not only will God judge our acts, He will also judge the intent of our hearts, and He is already doing this today with His word (Hebrews 4:12).

In today’s Bible reading, we see how the word of God x-rayed the intent of Judas Iscariot’s heart. A woman came with costly ointment to anoint Jesus’ feet, and Judas Iscariot, being Jesus’ treasurer, saw this as a waste of resources. Besides the fact that Judas was wrong to condemn a sacrifice offered to Jesus, the word of God exposes the real reason he was “concerned” about keeping the money “for the poor”. John 12:6 says:

“This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”

Today, some church treasurers may not support the acquisition of anything befitting for God’s house because the greater the credit balance in the church account, the more funds available for them to steal. Dealing with the rottenness of man’s hearts is very important to god because it controls their words and action. A person who goes to church indecently dressed has more than meets the eye in his or her heart. When a man begins to plait his hair in the name of “fashion”, he needs to re-examine the motivations of his heart. A pastor who indiscriminately hugs congregation members should watch it with the opposite sex. Erotic jokes are an overflow of what is in the heart; don’t trivialize or condone them. May the Lord clear all forms of rottenness from our hearts I Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please clear away all rottenness in my heart, and help me to keep myself pure as light.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 11-14

 John 20: 24-21:14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;

All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

COME AND REST

DATE: FRIDAY 28th DECEMBER 2018.

THEME: COME AND REST

MEMORISE:

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:9

READ: Mark 6:30-32

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

MESSAGE 

Our God is not a slave driver. He is a loving Father who wants restful peace for His children always. Even though He cannot by any means get tired, He rested after six days of creation to demonstrate to us the need for rest (Genesis 2:2). Consequently, whenever we find ourselves in a stressful situation where one cannot even find rest in sleep, a prayerful probe into the matter usually points either to human error or the threats of enemies. I pray for anyone passing through difficult time, burdened with the load of life and without any hope of deliverance in sight: receive God’s rest now in Jesus’ Name.

Rest from enemies and travails of life has been the greatest concern of mankind from one generation to another. Since God’s judgment came on humanity for the wrongdoing of Adam and Eve, hardship, trouble and travail have become a daily experience for people (Genesis 3:17-19). Humanity labored under these harsh conditions without any respite until the advent of Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world. In Matthew 11:28, He invited us all-round rest in Himself, saying:

 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This proclamation presents Jesus as the source of rest from labor without reward, rest from adversaries, rest from life’s troubles, and the promised rest with God in eternity. All those all those who answer His call will receive all-round rest here on earth and eternal rest with God in heaven. 

Rest can also be an expression of trust or reliance. When a person ceases from all personal efforts in a troubled situation, it implies confidence in and dependence on the assistance of a higher power. Those who turn to Jesus for rest can never be disappointed. Psalm 37:7 says:

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing that when an enemy is so powerful, well connected and reputed to have successfully carried out wicked plans in the past, you should rest in the Lord and patiently wait for His salvation, because our God is the final authority in heaven and on earth. As you accept the Lord’s invitation to come into His rest today, no matter what you are going through, you will find rest for your soul in Jesus’ Name. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me all-round rest in the new year I am going into, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 1-6 John 19:17-42

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 18: CONQUEROR AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE

1. Conquerors and overcomers now are we,

Thro' the precious blood of Christ we've victory

If the Lord be for us we can never fail,

Nothing 'gainst His mighty power can e'er prevail.

Chorus

Conquerors are we, thr'o the blood of Jesus

God will give us victory, thro' the blood of Jesus

Through the Lamb for sinners slain,

Yet who lives and reigns again,

More than conquerors are we,

More than conquerors are we.

2. In the name of Israel's God we'll onward press,

Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;

Not to us but unto Him the praise shall be,

For salvation and for blood bought victory.

3. Unto Him that overcometh shall be given,

Here to eat of hidden manna sent from Heaven,

Over yonder He the victors palm shall bear,

And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

BREAD ALONE?

DATE: THURSDAY 27th DECEMBER 2018.

THEME: BREAD ALONE?

MEMORISE:

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3

READ: John 6:24-27

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

MESSAGE 

Your body is a very important asset that God has given you. Without your body, you have no license to remain on earth. One of your major responsibilities therefore is to take care of your body constantly by feeding it and keeping it clean. It is the food we eat that gives our body the energy it needs to function well. However, not all the food we eat supplies our body with the kind of energy that it actually needs. There are healthy foods and there is junk food. When eaten, both types of food will supply energy to the body. However, while healthy food supplies the kind of energy that positively enhances the function of our body and helps it build its resilience against diseases, the energy that junk food supplies will do just the opposite, and over time, this will contribute to the body breaking down.

Although it is important to care for the body, much more importance should be placed on feeding the soul with healthy food. When we neglect our souls, so much more is at stake than sickness and physical death. Jesus does not just say things for the fun of it, and He was the one who said “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth” (Matthew 4:4). He was saying that if feeding the body alone (eating bread). Is all you do, then you will not live. Although your body will be nourished, your soul will starve and eventually die.

How then can our souls be fed? We feed our souls on the word of God written in the Bible. The habit of reading the Bible is fast becoming archaic, especially with how busy everyone has become with making ends meet. Nevertheless, 1 Timothy 4:13 says:

 “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

No one ever said you have to read a large portion of the Bible daily. If reading a chapter of the Bible per day is what you can properly reflect on, then start with a chapter per day. Furthermore, you should not stop at reading the Bible; it is also very important to reflect on what you have read. While reading is for the head, reflecting is for the heart. You have to meditate on what you read by thinking it over and allowing it sink deep into your heart. A good way to do this is to have a book where you write down points from what you have read, and then consciously think about these points during the day. Irrespective of what you do and how busy your schedule is, always endeavor to feed your soul daily. Remember, man shall not live by bread alone.

ACTION POINT:

Feed your soul as regularly as you feed your body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Haggai 1-2

John 18: 33-19:16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;

All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

CATALYST FOR SOUL-WINNING

DATE:  MONDAY 24th DECEMBER 2018.

THEME: CATALYST FOR SOUL-WINNING.   

MEMORISE:

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36

READ:  Jude 1:20-25

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

MESSAGE 

Salvation through Christ originated from God as an act of love towards humanity. It was specially designated to be the only way out of human sinfulness, indebtedness and bondage to the devil. The foundational role of love in the process of salvation is made clear to us in John 3:16, which says:

“ 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.”

It was divine love that propelled God, as a compassionate Father, to offer His beloved Son, Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. Out of love for humanity, Jesus accepted His Father’s will and came into this world to relate with sinful men and women, working out our salvation freely and unconditionally. Considering all His labor of love and the suffering He endured in His final hours before death, the Bible in 1 John 4:9 rightly concluded:

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

Therefore, the role that love plays as the catalyst for soul-winning has its roots in god Himself, and it is transmitted to those who have partaken of His divine nature through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For obvious reasons, soul-winning requires love. Winning a soul involves fierce competition and confrontation with the kingdom of darkness. It is apparent to anyone involved in soul-winning at any level that Christians are competing with the devil for the souls of men. Because eternal life is involved, the stakes could not be any higher. Therefore, soul-winning is of everlasting importance, and it demands determination, commitment and sacrifice. All of these can only flow from a heart overflowing with love for Christ and perishing souls. Anyone who confesses Christ as Lord and Savior is compelled by the love of God to spread the love he or she has received to others who are still living in sin (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). The golden rule set by Jesus is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39), and He identifies your neighbor to be anyone who has a need within your sphere of influence (Luke 10:29-37). Are you then moved by knowledge that anyone without Christ is lost and hell-bound if they remain unsaved? Has this knowledge moved you to share the gospel with your family members, neighbors co-workers, schoolmates and the society at large? The Christmas holiday is a good opportunity to do this. I pray that God will fill your heart with love for the perishing souls today, in Jesus Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please empower me as I share the gospel in this festive season in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nahum 1-3

 John 17: 1-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 7: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE.

1. Wonderful story of love;

Tell it to me again;

Wonderful story of love;

Wake the immortal strain!

Angels with rapture announce it,

Shepherds with wonder receive it;

Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?

Wonderful story of love.

o Refrain:

Wonderful! Wonderful!

Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;

Though you are far away;

Wonderful story of love;

Still He doth call today;

Calling from Calvary’s mountain,

Down from the crystal-bright fountain,

E’en from the dawn of creation,

Wonderful story of love.

3. Wonderful story of love;

Jesus provides a rest;

Wonderful story of love;

For all the pure and blest,

Rest in those mansions above us,

With those who’ve gone on before us,

Singing the rapturous chorus,

Wonderful story of love.

WHEN THE DEVIL STRIKES

DATE: TUESDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2018.

THEME: WHEN THE DEVIL STRIKES

MEMORISE:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8

READ:  Ephesians 5:14-17

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

MESSAGE

For you to be triumphant in warfare, you need to know your adversary well so that you can checkmate his or her every move. 1 Peter 5:8 makes it clear that the devil is our adversary; you would therefore be wise to understand his character and modus operandi in order not to be ensnared by his wily crafts. The devil is a doomed fellow, and he is a slave beneath every true Christian (Matthew 25:41, Ephesians 1:21-23, Ephesians 2:6). Since the day iniquity was found in him, there has not been any good in him at all (Ezekiel 28:15). Having known this, it will be dangerous to assume that the devil is a fool. He is no fool, but rather cunning and with a lot of experience. The devil is very studious and diligent. When he sets a goal, he does everything possible to ensure he meets his target. This is why we have to watch and pray against his moves. We also have to be as gentle as doves, but as wise as serpents. Furthermore, we have to be guarded with our armor always, because our adversary never rests, always going around looking for whom to devour. 

Now, when does the devil strike? He first studies his target by watching for any weakness in that target. When he finds a weakness, he begins to hit at that weakness, so much so that if the fellow does not brace up and strengthen that weak point, it could trigger his or her fall. This was the case with Moses. When he killed the Egyptian for flogging a Hebrew, the devil noticed that he had a problem with anger. Having discovered this, the devil constantly influenced the Israelites to provoke him, but Moses held on strong until the day when out of anger he struck the rock he was supposed to speak to. Beloved, you cannot afford to be lackadaisical at any time, and neither can you indulge a weakness for the slightest moment, because the devil is working overtime to make you fall. Moses was careless just once, and the result was that he couldn’t enter the Promise Land.

Another time the devil strikes is after a victory. David experienced this. After he killed Goliath, the devil raised an enemy against him in King Saul. Similarly, immediately after Jesus fed, men with five loaves of bread and two fishes, the devil tried to use a storm to swallow His boat. It was also after Jesus had finished an impactful-day fast that the devil came to tempt Him (Luke 4:1-13). The devil knows that everyone tends to relax and celebrate after a victory, and so he uses the opportunity to strike. Note that the devil attacks by putting something tempting right in front of you so that you will constantly see it. He adopts this method because he knows that no matter how strong a rock is, if water keeps dropping continually, it will eventually give way. What is that source of temptation the devil is constantly throwing your way? It’s time to get rid of it. May God help you in this regard in Jesus’ Name. 

ACTION POINT:

Never let your guard down against the devil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Amos 1-3

John 13:1-30

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 18: CONQUEROR AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE

1. Conquerors and overcomers now are we,

Thro' the precious blood of Christ we've victory

If the Lord be for us we can never fail,

Nothing 'gainst His mighty power can e'er prevail.

Chorus

Conquerors are we, thr'o the blood of Jesus

God will give us victory, thro' the blood of Jesus

Through the Lamb for sinners slain,

Yet who lives and reigns again,

More than conquerors are we,

More than conquerors are we.

2. In the name of Israel's God we'll onward press,

Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;

Not to us but unto Him the praise shall be,

For salvation and for blood bought victory.

3. Unto Him that overcometh shall be given,

Here to eat of hidden manna sent from Heaven,

Over yonder He the victors palm shall bear,

And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;

All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!