All posts by Tunde Soniregun

Wilderness

Devotions

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

Exodus 13:17-22, Mark 1:1-20

 

Wilderness is a passage where the enemy has planted all kinds of mine to derail the transportation that will bring transformation to the life of all believers. Also, it is a passage that cannot be avoided. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel passed through it to get to their promised land. Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith could not enter into His full assignment on earth until He was led into the wilderness. When the children of Israel were coming out into the journey from the bondage of Egypt, the best and most available route for the children of Israel was through the wilderness. The fact the Lord led them through the wilderness was evident that it was the best available route (Exodus 13:17-18). The wilderness was the best available route and yet it appeared the worst and the most challenging to the children of Israel. The journey through the wilderness is the way that will carry you through to where God has a plan for you. In your journey, it could be that you are yet to face challenges or you are already facing challenges. Do not complain, turn your face to the grace and mercy of God that will carry you through. Jesus went through the wilderness. Mark 1:12, ÒImmediately the spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the beasts; and the angel ministered to Him.Ó Jesus went through the wilderness because He knew that we would have to go through it. JesusÕ going through the wilderness was to leave behind a foot step for each and every one that answered His call to follow through. The same wild beasts are still there but the good news is that the ministering angels that saw Jesus through are waiting to see us through.

July 2007 Issue

Monthly Newsletter

ÒFor everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks find, and to him who knocks it will be opened.Ó(Luke 11:10)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

 

A prayer that will never miss its target is asking for the will of God to be done. If there is any plan or place where a believer will want to be, it should be in the will of God. Jesus, in His prayer lesson, taught His disciples to always pray for the will of God (Matthew < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>6:10). The will of God is His plans or thoughts concerning the life which He has given to His creation. God confirmed in Jeremiah 29:11, ÒFor I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.Ó God meant what He said and He will do what He says He will do. GodÕs thoughts are good thoughts; GodÕs thoughts toward His children are not in the assembly line, it is already in place because He said He knows it. That testifies that His thoughts are in place and are waiting for His children to capture it. The plan of God is for His children to enter into what He has already put in place if the children will ask. Jesus encouraged in Luke 11:9, ÒÕSo I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.ÕÓ He did not say beg because you do not beg for what has been in place for you. But you ask and seek it and it will become of you. Asking is praying or calling on God through the name of Jesus Christ. Asking sometimes requires consistency or persistency, but the bottom line is that children will have to ask before receiving. Prayer does not have to be in multitudes of words nor in colorful words. A prayer is not limited to time or to location. Prayer does not have to be in repetition; it does not matter if prayer is loud or if it is quiet. Prayer can either be simple or intense, but prayer has to be backed with power. A prayer that is backed with power is the kind of prayer that moves mountains; a prayer backed with power is the prayer that is rooted in the word of faith. Faith has its source in the Word of God. Throughout the Bible, many mountains were moved by the prayer of faith. Do you carry the Word in you? Where, in your mouth or in your hand? The Word that you carry in you will pave way for your prayer. If you know how to ask and not know how to receive, you will be missing what your prayer brings forth. The way of receiving is in your positioning. The prophet Habakkuk did not hide the secret of receiving when he mentioned in Habakkuk 2:1, ÒI will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.Ó When you ask and fail to take the position to receive, God will not come down. Asking and being able to wait patiently to receive is a demonstration of understanding the word of God. The hand of God is what will deliver all that is asked for. The children of Israel cried to God when they could no longer accommodate the pain of over 400 hundred years of bondage (Exodus 2:23). God heard their crying and He extended His hand of deliverance (Exodus 3:20). The wall of Jerusalem was not in place to protect the survivors of captivity.   As a result, reproach and distress was having its way in the lives of the survivors (Nehemiah 1:3). Nehemiah moved to rebuild the wall but needed GodÕs intervention. In asking, he prayed, and the Lord extended His good hand, the hand of deliverance, and NehemiahÕs mission was set in place (Nehemiah 2:8). A leper in need of healing came to a position to receive healing. Matthew 8:2, ÒAnd behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ÕLord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.ÕÓ He could not miss his healing because he asked for the will of God while on the right position to receive. In the leperÕs case, there was answer in the hand of Jesus as it is written in Matthew 8:3, ÒThen Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ÕI am willing; be cleansed.Õ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Ó As a believer who is conversant with the word of God, this message is not a reminder, neither a repetition; it is to serve as a point of renewing the mind. Do not be conformed to what is going on around you, remember who you are and get yourself into asking Him while positioning yourself to receive from Him. The will of God will transform if you will ask just like the leper who asked for the will of God and got healed.

 

 

He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). The word of God is power.

 

A prayer that is backed with power is the kind of prayer that moves mountains

 

 ÔTunde Soniregun

His Presence

Devotions

HIS PRESENCE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 27:1-8, Matthew 18:19-20

 

When action is based on the knowledge gained in the understanding of the word of God, it becomes impossible for action not to prevail. The word of God declared in Matthew < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>18:20, ÒFor where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.Ó God is not a liar and His words are true and will never fail. Isaac realized that he was old and he did not know the day of his death. He wanted to make a lasting pronouncement by blessing his son Esau and he called him saying in Genesis 27:7, ÒBring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.Ó Isaac was not talking out of the blue; he recognized that with him and Esau coming with obedience they will be qualified for gaining His presence. The word asked for where two or three are gathered together. Isaac could have said he was going to bless Esau instead he proposed that he will bless Esau in the presence of God. Operating in the word of God is more than just knowing about the word of God. However, operating in the knowing of the word will bring power into place because it is a demonstration of understanding. As a believer, if you will begin to consciously operate in the word of God with sincere and desired expectation the word will bring manifestation. Many believers are missing it because they are saying it from the mouth and not from the heart. To many, the word of God has become only a signature tune instead of using it as means to tune heaven into response. Do not be limited by the lack of knowledge; be embedded by the knowledge that is in the word of God. The word of God is true and it is power.   

Good Part

Devotions

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Luke 10:38-42

 

Where are you located in the Lord? Which part have you chosen? It is a great thing to be working in the house of the Lord, for the glory of God. However, when your work begins to take you away from the feet of the Lord then your priority has been misplaced. Where are you? What is your place in the house of God? Martha was in a good location when she welcomed the Lord into her place (Luke < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>10:38). There is no blessing like welcoming Jesus into our place. To have Jesus come into our place and not being in the right place could be a great loss. While Jesus was at MarthaÕs place, Mary the sister of Martha was positioned in the good place. Martha was busy working, serving and scrambling instead of serving and served by the Bread of Life. By this virtue, Martha became distracted and approached Jesus requesting for MaryÕs help in serving (Luke 10: 40). JesusÕ responded to Martha in Luke 10:41-42, ÒAnd Jesus answered and said to her, ÒMartha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.Ó Serving Him in the house should not take away from being served by Him. Martha was doing a good thing but Mary had chosen a good part. Every believer should understand that there is a place and time for everything (including work) in the house of God where His presence reigns and rule. Working in the house of God is great, but it should not take away the time to sit at His feet while He is in the house. It could be a misplacement of priority when distraction is caused by work. It is  good to serve Him but there is a need to choose a good part and that good part is serving in Him. Do not just serve Him also serve in Him.

Watch And Wait

Devotions

WATCH AND WAIT< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Habakkuk 1, 2

 

Habakkuk was a prophet that lived in < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Judah during the day of King Jehoiakim. He was not a stranger to hearing from God, neither was he short of receiving answers from God when he presents his question to God. Despite the calling in the life of Habakkuk, he demonstrated that only by patiently watching and waiting can a man prevail in seeking and receiving from God. Having established a constant communication early in the book of Habakkuk it became obvious in his word that without watching patiently, hearing back from God can be impossible. The second chapter of Habakkuk recorded what it takes to get answer back from God. Habakkuk 2:1, ÒI will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.Ó HabakkukÕs self talk was in direction to God. He has been engaged in communicating back and forth with God. As the communication continues, there was a need for him to wait for response. HabakkukÕs attitude of patiently watching and waiting for GodÕs response is a lesson that needs to be written all over a believerÕs life. It does not matter at what level you are walking with God it will never take away the attitude of watching and waiting patiently. If there are to be any that waits and watch patiently for God, it should be the ones that walk closer with God. A constant and consistent watching and waiting patiently for God will no doubt bring forth a constant and consistent hearing and receiving from the Lord God. Are you having challenges in any area of life where it seems there is no answer to your concerns or where there is no way out in your journey? Have you spend time in waiting and watching? Demonstrate to God that regardless of your challenges you will not move without hearing from Him. He is a faithful God go and He will not fail you.