KEY SCRIPTURE: Luke 9:24 KJV” For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”.

An illusion is a deceptive appearance or impression. Now selfishness may be described as” an attitude whereby an individual considers his or her ambitions, personal advantages and privileges paramount and a prime pursuit without considering others or even God’s choices for him”. When one is selfish, he tends to act in ways that satisfies his longings and refuses to trust God or follow his ways. Jesus says in Luke 9:24 that ” whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”. The statement of the Lord implies those who are selfish are deceived and will ultimately be the losers.

In Ruth 4:1–6, the kinsman who was to redeem the heritage of Elimelek refused because marrying Ruth would prevent him from raising an inheritance for himself. This man’s name is forgotten forever. Boaz rather took that responsibility. He became the great grandfather of David with Jesus the Savior of the world coming through that line. The first man was woefully deceived and had no abiding family of significance as he thought. He wanted an inheritance for himself. What is your inheritance? Your inheritance is that which you do rightly to honor God today. That is what will live with you and will live after you.

Africa is blessed with so much natural resources yet very economically bankrupt. This is due to selfishness which has permeated almost every fabric of the societies. Ninety eight percent of people who enter politics do so to create a financial empire at the expense of the larger populace. This has gone on for decades, yet the end of such people has always been very miserable. You take none of those cars, buildings or money to the grave. Note: Your inheritance are your actions that God approves. All those who lived to sacrifice their lives, like our Lord Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul, have an abiding heritage. You can’t make an inheritance with selfishness, it is an illusion

PRAYER

I pray that my heart would never be overtaken by lust to place my personal longings ahead of the word of God neither should I deprive others of their opportunities to enrich myself

FURTHER STUDIES

Prov. 14:30 KJV” A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones”.

Philippians 2:3 KJV “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 8:28 KJV “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.

Our key scripture is a positive assurance about life that we must all have. Events in life on the face value does not seem to be favorable most of the time. To the Christian, God and His angels are fully involved in every bit of his life activities. They are actually working together for your good. Moses was born at a time that every male son, born to an Israeli woman had to be killed. In the midst of this God made sure Moses would be raised in the palace of King Pharaoh. The very people who were seeking to kill him, accepted him loved him and raised him up. Everything worked together for his good.

God is the monarch of the universe. He is in charge of the affairs of those who love him. To love Him, means to live according to His word. To love Him also means you would pray to him about events in your life. This will give Him the right to influence affairs in your life. The Christian who does not pray consistently and worries about events in his life is not demonstrating love for God. If you live this way God cannot work everything out for your good. In the case of Moses, although he did not know God at that early age, his people were praying for a deliverer. The events in Moses life was a response to their prayers.

The Lord says He knows the thought he has towards you. Jeremiah 29:11 KJV” For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. God has great plans for you. God loves to be involved in everything about His children. In spite of His plans and purpose for your life, your positive input is very vital to get the hand of God working everything out for your good. When you are acting in line with the word, you can maintain a positive assurance, knowing that everything would work out for your good.

CONFESSION

I love the Lord. I live to please Him. I have a very positive assurance that all things would definitely work out for my good.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 23:6 KJV” Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Luke 22:46 KJV” And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 7:25 KJV” Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”.

 In the concept of God every act or deed that places others first is prized very high and dear unto God. This is the reason prophecy which is an inspired word for the church is placed higher than tongues, which edifices the one speaking or praying in tongues. (1st Corinth 14:1–4) Intercession is the act of making request, pleas, and supplications on behalf of others. It is standing in the gap to plead on behalf of others, so that God would intervene.

 The Lord would always want evil and mischief, or calamities to be averted, but cannot do anything about it, until He finds a man who would make up the hedge or stand in the gap. Eze 22:30 KJV “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. “In the preceding verse, the Lord says, He sought for a man who would intercede for the land yet He found none. Ezekiel 22:31,says His wrath came upon them because there was no one to plead on their behalf.

Why would God our Father need a man to plead for others? In the dealings of God, man has been given the right to dominate the earth. God can only have access to the earth if man should invite Him. He cannot on His own will take actions on the earth. That would amount to breaking His own word. (Gen 1:26). Every Christian is a priest of God on the earth.  (1st Peter 2:9) One of our priestly functions is to make intercession on behalf of men. Presently the whole world is being humiliated by COVID-19 or Corona virus. We as Christians must plead on behalf of all mankind by confessing the sins of men and asking the Lord for an intervention. This is a small thing for Him, 2Ch 7:14 KJV” If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.

PRAYER

Father, we pray for all humanity. We ask for your forgiveness first of all for us as Christians in any form or ways that we have sinned against you. . We also ask forgiveness for the sin and abominations of the people of the world. Heal our nations of this grievous pestilence and save humanity. Thank you, father, for hearing and answering our prayer in Jesus name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Isaiah 59:16 KJV “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore, his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.”

Rom 8:34 KJV” Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Judge 16:16 KJV” And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto DEATH. “

Read Judges 16

The story of our key scripture is about Samson. He was a man extremely anointed with the grace of God. His physical might could virtually do anything he wanted. His only set back was his LUST for women. Samson was a Nazarite. To be a Nazarite is to vow a vow of separation unto God. Num 6:2–21. He must not touch or do any unclean acts. Samson fell in love with Delilah who clearly demonstrated to him that she did not love him but would want him dead. Delilah was a deadly serpent. His LUST made him stay with a deadly serpent.

Samson was torn between choosing to protect the grace of God upon his life or to follow his LUST and be killed. Rom 8:13 KJV” For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. Every child of God has been endowed with grace to do beyond the ordinary. John 3:8 KJV “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. “You are like the wind with immense potentials.

Delilah pestered him to cast away the grace upon him and bow to her. LUST would always demand you through away grace and choose it. (Grace is the divine ability to do the impossible) (LUST is the longings of the flesh that demands its satisfaction) . LUST will keep pestering till your soul is vexed ready to bow unto destruction. The Bible’s solution is to mortify the flesh. This word means kill the LUST. Shut it up and leave it. Samson should have sternly shut her down and warned her never to raise that topic or simply leave her forever. I prefer the later. Grace is too expensive and precious, give no place to LUST.

CONFESSION

I know God’s investment in me. I am filled with supernatural abilities to conquer and bring glory and praise to my father. I give no place to the flesh under any condition. I kill it and its desires. I am free of its controls. My life is upward and forward in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Colossians 3:5 KJV “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” :

Galatians 5:17 & 18 KJV “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:13 KJV” In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”,

HAVE YOU trusted in the gospel to be saved? If you have been reading this devotional for some time now, but have not trusted in the Lord Jesus, then don’t delay any further. This is what the word of God says:

” Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. (Acts 4:12). Salvation is found in no other person than our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t allow anything to deceive you, Jesus is the only one who died for our sins, resurrected on the third day, and ascended into the heavens. No one in history did anything close to what Jesus has done.

The scripture added the following: in whom after ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise “. The Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is the grand sign that he belongs to God. It is not the church you join. The main grounds that you would be accepted into glory is the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. The verse 14 reads ” Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”. This word earnest means a ‘guarantee’ or a ‘down payment’ awaiting the final return of the Lord to take a full possession of you. If you have not trusted the Lord, then you don’t have the Holy Spirit. YOU MUST BE SAVED.

The seal of the Holy Spirit also signifies we are owned by the Lord and nothing can take possession of us except we willingly give ourselves over to that thing. John 10:28 KJV “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. No one can forcefully pluck you out of God’s hands. You can willingly go out of his Lordship. Rom 8:13 KJV “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. It is all up to you to live above sin sicknesses and Satan. So long as you submit to God and His word and resist the devil, he will flee and never be able to control you (James 4:7). Don’t be afraid of what happens or the evil that pertains, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Tell the devil you belong to God, because you have been sealed.

CONFESSION

Jesus is Lord of my life. I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. I am owned by the Lord. I am bound for the kingdom of God because I live by the power of the Holy Spirit and live to glorify God

FURTHER STUDIES

Rev. 3:20 KJV” Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. James 4:7 KJV” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:11 KJV” In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”:

We now look further into the unsearchable riches of Christ. Our key scripture informs us that every child of God has obtained an inheritance. This is seen in Acts 26:18, which says” To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. There is an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. The word sanctified means saints and refers to everyone who is born again. (Being made a Saint is an act of grace)

What is this inheritance? Eph 1:18 says “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”. This verse tells us what the inheritance is. It is Christ inheritance or what he left for us. The inheritance is what the Lord achieved and gave to us. They are a lot, but I will attempt to list a few of them

1.Authority in His name (Philip 2:10, Matt 28:18)

2.His victory over sin and death (2nd Timothy 1:10, Rom 6:6)

3.Perfect access to the throne room of the father (Rom 5:2,)

4 His righteousness (2nd Corinth 5:21)

5 Angelic assistance (Heb 1:14)

6 Healing for our bodies (1st Pet 2:24)

7 Gift of eternal life (1st John 5:13)

8 Victory over Satan and his demons (Col 2:15)

9 Gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

10.  Our Heavenly Home (John 3:3)

Most of our inheritance has been made available now. We must take full possession of them. Like the Israelites who took over their promised land, they had to fight to possess it. Satan would not allow you to enjoy these things without giving a fight. Don’t be moved if any of them seems not to materialize immediately. Stand on the word of God, and keep declaring what the word has said. Fight the good fight of faith. (1st Tim 6:12)

CONFESSION

I have received a great inheritance in Christ. I have inherited the power in His name that gives me perfect authority over Satan. I have eternal life, the very life of God. His Spirit is alive in me producing His works through me.

FURTHER STUDIES

Acts 20:32 KJV “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

John 14:27 KJV “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:8 KJV Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Colossians 2:3, tells us that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Out of this he has abounded towards us wisdom and prudence. The word wisdom is translated from the Greek word ‘sophia’ It means the varied knowledge of things, human and divine acquired by experience. It is also defined as skill in the management of affairs. The other virtue abounded to us is prudence. Prudence is ‘phronesis’ in the new testament Greek. Phronesis is defined as knowledge and a holy love for the will of God. Our Lord Jesus functioned in both of these powerful virtues and so was so successful in His life and ministry.

Sophia or natural wisdom is what all men can have. Prudence or phronesis is only imparted by the spirit of God. It is given to all children of God, yet only those who surrender their hearts to please the Lord would walk in this kind of wisdom. In the days of our Lord Jesus, the people of his town asked what wisdom is given unto Him that such mighty works are done by Him (Mark 6:2). Prudence or phronesis is acting in step with the Holy Spirit. It is described as wisdom from above. Jas 3:17 KJV “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy”.

THIS supernatural wisdom is seen in a life by the fruits of righteousness and translated into other practical aspects of life. David was a man who loved the Lord so much. No wonder he exhibited so much wisdom which caused him to excel in every area of life. (2nd kings 14:20). Our key scripture tells us that the Lord has abounded to us this kind of wisdom. Dedicate your life to honor the Lord in all you do, and you will manifest the kind of wisdom that would baffle men. Our world needs solution for so many things. The answers are with us the children of God. Daniel answered the questions of his generation because of his devotion to God We can do better.

CONFESSION

I have the wisdom of God. I love the Lord with all my heart. I bring supernatural solutions to my world. My life is an answer to the questions of many. Thank you, heavenly Father.

FURTHER STUDIES

1Kings 4:29 KJV” And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.”

Dan 2:23 KJV” I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:7 KJV ” In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”;

The truth of our redemption from the clutches of Satan takes us into the mysteries of the unsearchable riches of Christ. To redeem means to make full payment or to buy back that which is yours, yet through some means was lost or you willingly gave it out.  Redemption is therefore a business term. When man sinned, not against the devil but against God. Man lost his place in God and also lost God’s place in him. Satan had absolute right and authority over man. Man’s punishment was death (Gen 3:3). Man’s redemption demanded the death of the object of the redemption.

There were a number of phases to our redemption

1 In the redemption, the Lord shed his blood, for the forgiveness of our sins,

2 Through the atonement by the blood, God was satisfied to have men back.

3 Satan lost the rule over man.

   The redemption has rendered Satan powerless to touch us. The price for our redemption was the blood of the lamb. (1st Peter 1:18, 19) Our redemption is an eternal one. Heb 9:12 KJV Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Considering all the terms, price and duration of our redemption, it leaves no place for any power whatsoever to claim any part in us. By redemption we have become God’s very property. 1Corinth 6:20 KJV “For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”.

Once again, our redemption reveals God’s unsearchable mercies. In spite of our rebellion He (God) sacrificed His only Son Jesus to have us back. It is our duty to stand on what God has done to break free from every satanic bondage. 1st Corinth 6:20, reminds us that we have been bought with a price and so we must glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits. It is not God’s duty to do these things for us. God has done His part; we must insist to the devil and his devils that their time to reign over man is expired.

CONFESSION

I was redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Christ. I have an eternal redemption and therefore no devil under any condition or time can mess up my life. My life is a stream of goodness and blessings all through.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 34:22 KJV” The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate”.

Isaiah 52:9 KJV “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:6 KJV” To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved”

Our verse of consideration is Eph 1:6b “wherein we are made accepted in the beloved. This is a very important statement for the children of God. It means the child of God is highly favored. There is no condemnation to the man who is in Christ, because he is accepted or favored in Christ. As a child of God, you are highly favored because the Lord Jesus took away all your sins. (John 1:29)

The book of Romans 8:31–37 shows us some amazing facts of God’s favor towards the believer.

1.Verse 31 reveals that God is for us and no one can be against us. No enemy can over power us.

2.Verse 32 also shows us that since God did not spare our Lord Jesus but allowed Him to die for us, how will He not with Him give us all things. God keeps no good thing from us.

3. Verse 33 tells us no one can lay any charge against us. It is Christ who justifies us. He died to acquit us from any charges. We must not allow any short coming to keep us from accessing any blessing, prepared for us in Christ

4.Verse 34, reveals that no one can condemn us, because the Lord Jesus was condemned to die in our place. Jesus is risen and is presently praying for us. If the Lord does not condemn us, no one can do so. Do not condemn yourself under any condition

5 Verses 35-37 also makes it clear that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. No matter what happens to us, God’s love for us is never weakened. Satan may raise certain challenges or difficult times. Our father’s love for us is ever the same, whether in good times  or bad times. Rom 8:38 & 39 KJV” For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All these blessings are made available to us because we are highly favored or accepted in the beloved.

CONFESSION

I am accepted in the beloved. The Lord Jesus died in my place, made accursed for me and so l can’t be cursed. No good thing would He withhold from me. I am blessed in every way.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 84:11 KJV For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Psalms 23:5 KJV “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:5 KJV “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”,

One aspect of the blessings in Christ is our adoption as sons. This kind of adoption is different from going for a child in an orphanage and making him or her your son or daughter. The word for adoption in the Greek language is ‘uithesia’. It means, son placing. Son placing is when a son comes of age (30 years among the Romans) and so the father places his estate into his hands. The ceremony of acknowledging that, such a son is an adult ready to take over his father’s estate is what the scripture terms ADOPTION.

The book of Galatians 4:1–8 throws light on this issue. The Bible explains that when a son is a child, he is under tutors. When you were not in Christ you were under the influence of the forces of this world.  Gal 4:1 KJV ” Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of ALL”; From the day you were born again, you ceased to be under the powers of this world. You were placed as an adult son and the inheritance, or the right to rule was given to you. Gal 4:7 KJV” Wherefore thou art no more a servant or slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.

The scripture above! simply means, as children of God you are no more servants or slaves to any contrary power. Every power that once had the mastery over you has totally lost it’s power because you have become sons through Christ. Dear child of God, if there is any negative influence over your life, then stand on this scripture, and resist its reign over you. You are now in Christ and therefore you can’t be a slave or servant to them. You are lord over them.

PRAYER

Thank you, heavenly father that I am now a son, and no more a slave to any contrary power. Every power and authority is subjected to me. Sicknesses, sin, satanic controls, and any evil power are under my control. Thank you, heavenly father.

FURTHER STUDIES

Galatians 4:6 KJV” And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father”

Romans 8:15 KJV. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.