THROUGH IT ALL

Genesis 48:1-14< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

ÒThen they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, ÒDo not fear; you will have this son also.Ó 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).Ó (Genesis 35:16-19) Before Laban, the father of both Leah and Rachel, plugged Leah, the sister of Rachel, onto Jacob, Rachel was the actual woman that Jacob initially wanted as a wife. Rachel was the favorite of Jacob; she was the mother of Joseph, the most beloved of all the children of Jacob. Joseph was sold to slavery and later framed by brothers as if wild animals devoured him. It was pain and agony to Jacob thinking and accepting there would be no way of seeing Joseph again. Life can indeed be difficult and challenging and everything can seem to be impossible, but Òwith God all things are possible.Ó (Matthew 19:26) JacobÕs most beloved wife died a painful death and now Joseph, the most beloved among all his children, is assumed to be dead from wild animals. Jacob was a first hand witness to how life is full of ups and downs. Have you lost anything or anyone so dear and you have thought there is no hope? It is important that we be careful of negative confession. In the midst of all kinds of agonizing challenges in our way, we can always and it is better to be confessing: ÒIt is wellÓ. Jacob thought it was over until he was able to see Joseph. He then testified, ÒAnd Israel said to Joseph, ÒI had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!Ó (Genesis 48:11) Have you been giving up to all that has been giving you up to pain, groaning, and mockery? It is not time for you to give up, but it is rather time for you not to give up because when there is life there is hope. Also, it is the wrong time to give up because the same God that answered in the name of Jacob has not given up in His business of doing well for His children. God is not a partial God, but a faithful and merciful God. Jacob did not just see Joseph, but he eventually saw Joseph and the children of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). Again, if you will cast your entire care and burden on Him, He is able to see you through and He will never fail. Jacob saw through by seeing Joseph and you will also see-through in Jesus name.

FAVOR< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Esther 2:1-18

Favor is what makes the difference in every journey of life. Favor is not a fiction; it is not a fantasy; it is not a failure; is not a fraud; it is not fruitless; is not frustration. Above all, it is not fake; it is real and when God locates you with favor, you will become eternally and forever set for His glory. The exception from this is if you dislocate yourself from His favor. Favor is defined as: a grace, friendly or obligating act that is freely granted. In the Bible days, so many were located by the grace of God for favor and today God is still locating men for favor. A young lady in captivity, brought up by her uncle because her father and mother passed away while she was young, had a encounter with the favor of God and the story of her life was eternally and permanently lifted up for the glory of God. Esther was minding her business in her location. She was not soliciting for any position neither was she looking for a husband when heaven smiled on her because the current queen had made a wrong move that violated her position. The hour that Queen Vashti failed to honor the calling of King Ahasuerus was also the hour a new done was activated for Esther. It could be that somewhere some situation or a situation has triggered your favor, but there is a need for grace to continue to remain patient in location for you to enter into your season of favor. It happened to Esther and it could be that your miracle is on the way also. There was a need for a new queen after Queen Vashti had kicked her position by disobeying King Ahasuerus. The king made a decree that would bring forth a new queen and a new queen had to be chosen from among many women. Esther was among the ones that were taken to the custodian of the women. Esther 2:9, ÒNow the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the kingÕs palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.Ó From the moment the grace of activated favor kicked into life for Esther, she had no need for begging for anything because she was getting all that she needed and all that was the best for her. Esther had no need for a godfather because the Father God was operating on her behalf. When the favor of God is in place, every need will become abundantly in place. What you never thought of to be a need will become available for you. Favor is not a merit; it is God meeting up with you. Favor has no age barrier or any form of discrimination. The bottom line of it all is pray to God for His favor. He has in His power to give and to take. It is never too late for you to be favored because He is a faithful God.

WHAT A GUIDE?< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Acts 1:15-26

ÒMen and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.Ó  (Acts 1:16) After thousands of years from when Judas made himself available as a guide to those who arrested Jesus, so today many thousands and millions are still operating under the same canopy like that of Judas. Many are making themselves available despite all signs that are pointing to the coming back of Jesus. Many are the ones that actually claim to be following Him. It is amazing how the past records of events could not open the eyes of men to learn and not to allow ugly reoccurrence. The Bible declares concerning Judas, ÒFor he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.Ó (Acts1:17) Many are numbered and have obtained a part in the ministration of the word of God, but yet they are consciously or unconsciously operating as a guide to those who are blaspheming and persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ today just as Judas did yesterday. It is important to know that the eyes of the Lord are not hidden from every act of all followers and non-followers and He will bring judgment at His appointed time. It is also important for us not just to number our days but also to maintain a constant elimination of every way of acting or operating as a guide to those who are arresting Him every day. Determination to not be a partaker of those who are arresting His name daily will fail, but asking for the grace of God will prevail. Jesus once prayed for Simon (the man with great determination) when Satan wanted to pick on him, ÒBut I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.Ó (Luke 22:32) Satan is always looking for someone to devour, but by the prayer of Jesus, he failed in his attempt to sift Simon. It was the same Satan who located Judas and having located his availability, ÒThen Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.Ó(Luke 22:3) Judas could not maintain his number so he lost the privilege to be counted. There is going to be a counting day; a day of accountability and it will be permanently late for any readjustment because repentance would have become expired and impossible. It does not matter how long you have been in the race or how long you have been following Him. Neither does it matter the kind of title you have. It matters for you to constantly spend time at His feet for a divine covering that will make it impossible for Satan to recruit you as guide to arrest Jesus. It is never too late, when there is life and breath left in your being, to cease from every work of Satan and give it all up unto Jesus.

MIDNIGHT DELIVERANCE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Acts 16:25-40

As dark as it can be during the midnight hour, it has also become the time of great deliverance from every work of the wicked. Deliverance during the darkest hour of the day is an indication of shifting our battle into to the war front of the enemy rather than allowing the enemy to shift the battle to our own front. The children of Israel had been in bondage for over four hundred years without any sign of deliverance in sight. Moses did all that the Lord put in his hand to do for Pharaoh to see and release them in the daytime hours, but God choose the midnight hour to be the hour of their deliverance. Exodus 12:29-31, ÒAnd it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ÒRise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.Ó The bondage of over four hundred years ceased at the midnight hour. The God that operated in the Old Testament is the same God that operated in the New Testament. He has not changed since then and even until now; He is the Unchanging Changer. Acts 16:25-26, ÒAnd at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.Ó As much as God inhabits the praises of His people, it will be absolutely impossible for any agent of the wicked to succeed in holding down those that know how to praise Him in the darkest hour of confrontations. Paul and Silas prayed and sang in one of their dark hours (midnight) and the Spirit of God came down to loose them from the chains and shackles of the wicked at the decisive hour of wickedness and its operation. In the warfront of the enemy, Paul and Silas did battle by praying and singing with God on their side and they encountered undeniable deliverance. How is your praise worship? Is it a heart-full one or mouth-full praise worship? Only the One who you are rendering your praise worship to sees your heart. He alone will be able to determine if your praise worship is enough for Him to inhabit for your deliverance to break forth. In your sincere praise worship, He will raise you.

WAITING PATIENTLY      < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Psalm 40

When barrenness takes its reign in the life of a man without any indication of when to expect a breakthrough, there is then a need for letting God take over.  This requires action on our part by exceedingly waiting with patience. Barrenness can be in any area of life such as financial, fruitlessness, health situations or any other area of life. Waiting on God can be very difficult and challenging especially when it takes longer than expected. God is never in a hurry or in a rush, but He will do what His word says He will do. His words are perfect and proven. He has been doing and He will not stop doing because of you. Have you been waiting for long or have you just started waiting? Wait patiently and He will acknowledge you at the process of time if you will not reposition yourself from waiting on Him. David testified in Psalm 40: 1-2, ÒI waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of a miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD.Ó With grace to wait, no pit in hell will keep us grounded and waiting on Him will grant us the grace to walk firmly, without falling, on any ground that we want. Passing through the trial of waiting will no doubt put a new song in our mouth just like Hannah. Hannah going to Shiloh every year despite her barrenness was an example of waiting on God patiently. She did not give up and there was no record of her, despite her pressing need, not going to Shiloh any time. One year, God looked down on her and granted her the fruit of the womb. God will look down on you to raise you up from the pit of barrenness and every representative of horrible pit if you will raise your hand to praise Him. It is the child that raises his or hand that has invited the Lord to raise him or her out of the pits of life. Hannah became the testimony forever with a new song. In DavidÕs thanksgiving, he stated in 2 Samuel 22:34, ÒHe makes my feet like the feet of the deer and sets me on my high places.Ó Waiting on God took David to his high places. Every man has a low place in the journey of life, but waiting on God is what will bring you out and take you to your high places, a place that is above and beyond every agonizing situation that has kept you down. ÒWait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!Ó (Psalm 27:14)