FAITH CAPSULE: Claiming to be a believer is not enough to be carrying the power of God.

Acts 19

Itinerant Jewish exorcists that wanted to demonstrate what they do not carry in their life. The Jewish exorcists, after having witnessed miracle demonstrated through Paul the apostle, they attempted to demonstrate miracle just like Paul. It is written, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (Acts 19: 13) Interestingly, the evil spirit could not identify the itinerant Jewish exorcists as they attempted demonstration of miracle. The evil spirit responded to the Jewish exorcists as recorded, “…Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:15-16) The itinerant Jewish exorcists’ demonstration does not line with they carry in the power of God to do miracle.
How are you attempting what you do not carry in the power of God? Are you answering to what you do not carry in the power of God?
As believers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, what you carry will identify who you are in the Lord. Whatever believers carry will serve as weapon against confronting challenges. Claiming to be a believer is not enough to be carrying the power in the name of Jesus. Today, so many form of itinerant Jewish exorcists are not in the few but in the plenty numbers. 2 Timothy 3:5 talked about the present Jewish exorcists, “…having a form of godliness but denying its power about what we are against…” As a believer, are you among noise makers that communicating what Christians are against and less noise communicating what Christians stand for? Is your demonstration not loud enough for an unbeliever to see Christ in you? If for example, at your workplace, there is a call for the persecution of believers in Christ, would you be identified as one that confesses Jesus? Do you think your way of life as a follower of Christ will be enough for your fellow worker to identify you as Christ follower or itinerant Jewish exorcists?
Man can be deceived but God cannot be deceived. Galatians 6:7 declared the truth stating, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” How long do you want to be like itinerant Jewish exorcists? What is it that will identify you as a Christ follower? Paul the Apostle certainly could not have been living in your neighborhood without being recognized as a believer but not as Jewish exorcists. Even if Paul chose to be silent, his believe would identify him. Do not be like the itinerant Jewish exorcists.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be focus on Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: In the word of God, there is always answer in time of confronting challenge.

2Kings 6:1-23

Just as challenges exists and persists in the life of unbelievers so it is in the life of believers. Believers are not immune to experiencing challenges but they can be un-moveable in the face of challenges. Word of God admonishes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) Knowing to be quoting the word of God is not enough to bring deliverance in the face of challenge. However, understanding in the word of God is enough to bring forth deliverance. Proverbs 11:9 stated, “…but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” Deliverance from afflicting challenges of the righteous is rightly in the knowledge of the word of deliverance. The word of God is true to perform and perfect. As a believer, are you spending time to engage the word of God that is knowledge to deliver.
Are you thinking of what you should do in response to all the confrontations that are before you?
There is a sure and certain answer to what should be done. As a believer, it is not wrong to ask, “What should I do?” However, it is worthy to be cautious in your asking because there is no room for complaint against God. It does not matter how many strong believers or giants in the Lord are surrounding you, asking from God, “What should I do?” is exercising faith in God. The servant of Elisha had seen great miracles done by the hand of his master, a giant in the Lord. Despite all testimonies through Elisha, when confronting challenge came the servant resolved to asking, “What shall we do” The book of 2 Kings 6:15 recorded, “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’” In the word of God, there is always answer in time of confronting challenge. Elisha answered his servant, “…Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16) As a believer, it is a challenge to confront issues without fear. The word of God wants us to lay fear to rest so that faith shall rise. Paul the Apostle encouraged us “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanks giving, let your requests be made know to God; and peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6).” If you will open your spiritual eyes, you will know that you are more than a conqueror. Rejoice in the Lord always!

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of open eyes to see and know that deliverance of God is nearer.

FAITH CAPSULE: God will deliver you from any affliction under heaven.

Exodus 14

Under heaven, no man is immune from experiencing affliction however, man that knows God is in position to be delivered from affliction. Psalm 34:19 is encouraging for man that knows God stating, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out them all.” For your affliction it does not matter how long or how it persists, the word of God is an assurance for deliverance. Under heaven, no minister of God is with exemption for encountering affliction but the hand of God is not short to deliver His minister.
The children of Israel were not an exemption from affliction but God’s outstretched hand of God delivered the Israelites. The children of Israel came from over four hundred years of bondage, entered into another juncture of affliction; into a giant obstacle that was huge enough for termination of Israel. You can imagine them coming out of that bondage with miracles and favor of God upon them by their Egyptian masters, through the hand of God. It should be expected that nothing would cause them to be moved by fear. The moment they realized a new danger (the Red Sea) in front, and their former masters (Pharaoh and his horsemen) chasing from behind, and there was no turning left or right, they became afraid. The children of Israel instantly forgot to remember what God had done to get them to where they were in their journey. Where you are at this point of your journey does not matter, but He that brought you to where you are is the One that matters. Man owes God by focusing only God that delivers. Without doubt, if God chooses to terminate your journey or to see you through it, no devil under heaven can stop the hand of God.
In the case of the Israelites at the Red Sea, Exodus 14:13 stated, “And Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” The Lord said it, and the Lord did it. What He said to them He is speaking to us. Do you see any that represents the Egyptians coming up behind you, chasing you? Engage Moses response to the children of Israel: 1. Do not be afraid, 2. Stand still, 3. See your salvation (even though it is not at hand, but believe it is there), 4. When you begin to see it, you have provoked His hand, 5. He will do it. Do you believe? If you will hold your peace by engaging Moses’ word to the Israelites, you will encounter same deliverance like that of the Israelites. Trust God that your own stubborn Pharaoh too will be permanently terminated. God is enough to fight your battle.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance from all afflictions that meditates against your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Man that is empty of the word of God will miss in the position of deliverance.

Psalm 107

As an acclaimed believer, what is it that you are feeding on? Whatever a man feed on is what a man carries and not become empty. Anyone that is empty will always have empty talk because one cannot give out what one does not carry in the inside. Man that is empty of the word of God will miss in the position of deliverance. The word of God is here for healing and deliverance from destruction. (Psalm 107:20) The word of God, the commandment of God is like food and Job 23:12 testified the importance of His word more than food as stated, “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Without doubt, the word of God should be taking in as food as Jeremiah 15:16 stated, “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”
Are you empty of word of God lately? Is your talk not producing results of a child of the Living God? God does not listen to empty talk. Job buttress in Job 35:13, “Surely God does not listen to empty talk, nor will the Almighty regard it.”
Can you afford to be empty?
When one becomes empty, one will end up wasted because wickedness will come in and dwell in one that is empty. When you first turned your life to God, He gave you deliverance. With God’s deliverance, you are to be filled up by His Word. Now you are back to being empty because you have turned aside. What happens to being empty is mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 12: 43-45, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”  Be filled by the word of God as food. It is time to come out of emptiness and not become wasted in the face of wicked world. Do not forsake word of God but take to the word of God as necessity. He is a merciful God; He will not forsake you but turn to God. Allow His word to upgrade your emptiness to powerfulness.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to keep you to be feeding on the word of God for healing and deliverance from destruction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Know God to please Him in the journey of life.

Psalm 5

Knowing God indeed is the way to be built up more in faith. However, with knowing about God faith will be impossible and without faith it is impossible to please God. Man is to know God; man is to have faith and live life by pleasing God. Unpleasing God is the evidence of lack of faith. Hebrews 11:6 said it clear, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Unpleasing God is to be avoided so as to retain His presence in the journey of life. A man that truly knows God and pleases God is not a wicked man. David identified a way of unpleasing God when he stated, “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You.” (Psalm 5:4) Evidently, wickedness is unpleasing to God; it is evil and does not retain presence of God.
Psalm 5 of David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) pointed out what wickedness is about:
The boastful is wicked and shall not stand before God (The boastful shall not stand in Your sight Psalm 5:5) Ones with iniquity is wicked (You hate all workers of iniquity Psalm 5:5) Falsehood (untruth) speakers are wicked ones that turns glory of God to shame (Psalm 4:2); (You shall destroy those who speak falsehood Psalm 5:6) Bloodthirsty and deceitful are wicked before God. God abhors (hates, dislike) both. (Psalm 5:6)
Psalm 5:9 revealed about wicked body part are the agent for wickedness before God.
Wicked ones do not have faithfulness in their mouth; wicked ones inward part is destruction; wicked ones throat is an open tomb; wicked tongue flatters; wicked ones, with all their transgressions, they have rebelled against God.
Is there any trace of wickedness in your life?
Jeremiah 12:1-2 also pointed out clearly who the wicked ones: “Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” Know about God in the mouth marks man out to be a wicked one. Knowing God is near to God in deep in the heart and not far from God.
Do you know God?
Strive to come out of religion into Christ reality to know God. To be spotless and not wrinkle is God’s desire for man. God wants man to be holy and without blemish. Today, take to the word of James 1:21 as stated, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” Wickedness is filthy (dirty) and can be in excess. Be spot less, avoid wickedness, allow allowing WORD be implanted (rooted) in you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for grace to live life pleasing God.