All posts by Tunde Soniregun

MAY 2014 ISSUE

Monthly Newsletter

ENTERTAINING FEAR

Entertaining fear is terminating one’s own blessing. Have you consciously or unconsciously allowed fear to come between you and your miracle deliverance or miracle provision?

Once during the late hour of the day and in the middle of the water, a storm took over the journey of life for the disciples. Jesus’ disciples were on the journey to the other side of the sea when the storm took over. While they were being tossed around by the wave, Jesus showed up to rescue them. It is written, “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear.” (Matthew 14:25-26) By virtue of fear, Peter must have requested for deliverance when he asked Jesus to command him to walk on the water. Jesus responded to Peter’s request by commanding him to come. The Bible records, “…and when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:29-30) Peter, in his obedience to walk a difficult walk (walking on water), took his eyes away from Jesus as he gave his attention to the troubling storm and fear took charge while faith was discharged. Peter simply entertained fear and his deliverance was set for termination until Jesus intervened.

During a season of famine across the land, the Zarephath woman was set for miraculous provision when God sent Elijah to her as a route for her miracle. The Zarephath woman was approached by Elijah and he requested, “’…Please bring me a little water in a cup that I may drink.’ And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’” (1 Kings 17:10-11) Evidently, the woman of Zarephath only had just enough for herself and her son to eat because it was a time of famine in the whole land. In her sincerity and honesty, she responded to Elijah’s demand stating that she only had enough for herself and son to eat and die; meaning that after they ate, there would be nothing coming forth. Elijah did not hesitate when he responded to her. “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’”(1 Kings 17:13-14) The encouraging word of Elijah denied fear from denying the Zarephath woman from her God ordained miraculous provision. Fear would have provoked doubt and doubt is the agent of denial. The woman of Zarephath responded well to the word of Elijah. How often have you unconsciously allowed fear to give way to doubt and deny your miraculous provision?

The Zarephath woman had reasons to turn down the request of a strange prophet. However, she had no good reason not to trust or respond to a stranger in the name of God. In these days of fake and self-appointed messengers of God, it is easy to denounce a strange prophet in the fear of being cheated. However, we do have evidence that when means of provision seem to be over, God often provides in ways that might not seem to be meaningful to us. In response and full compliance to Elijah, the Zarephath woman denied fear and, “…went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.” (I Kings 17:15-16) God is beautiful for situation! Trust in Him that nothing forms against you; not even a deceiver shall prosper. In the time of lack, do all that is within you in the name of God for your neighbor and God will not overlook your area of need.

FAITH CAPSULE:
How often have you unconsciously allowed fear to give way to doubt and deny your miraculous provision?

 

BOAST ABOUT GOD

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow boasting God to become your conduct.

1 Samuel 17

What is it that you boast about in life? Among the things man boasts about consciously or consciously in life are: wisdom; might or riches. What is it you boast about? The Lord spoke in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. Getting understanding and knowing who God is matters the most. In life it is possible for a man to be in church all the days which man lives on earth and not understand and know God. Do you understand and know God enough to make your boast in God? Making your boast in God is a way of acknowledging God. To be acknowledging God is praising God. Psalm 50:23 buttress it, “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” Allow boasting God to become your conduct in all areas and your steps in life shall become right.

In your boasting praise God and provoke the hand of God to your favor. David a shepherd boy killed lion and bear when they approached the lamb in his care. Despite his might, he did not fail to boast of his God at the time he confronted Goliath for despising the armies of God (the children of Israel) David made a statement before Saul in his attempt to convince Saul for permission to go against Goliath, “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:36-37) David made his boast in the Lord and not in the might that he was able to kill lion and bear. God was acknowledged in David’s statement. David needed no weapon other than the hand of God which answered for him in bringing down Goliath and claiming victory over the Philistine army. Doing what pleases God brings God to man for man to prevail against challenging forces. Make God your boast.
Prayer for today: Ask that God will allow the grace of boasting only Him to have a permanent place in Him.

DO NOT BE LONELY

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Good and gracious God will always show up for our deliverance.

1 Kings 19

Loneliness can possibly cause a man to know what to do and not do it. Peter followed Jesus all through His ministry but gave himself up to a cheap untimely death attempt. In the face of death, Peter should know not to sleep but slept in the place of praying. Thank God for the church’s prayer of deliverance on behalf of Peter. He lost focus and entered into loneliness. The Bible stated about him, “And when Peter had come to himself, he said, ‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.’” (Acts 12:11) Loneliness will cause man to lose focus and become discouraged. Giving up in times of challenge is the evidence of discouragement.

Elijah, as great as he was used by God, at a certain point, he experienced loneliness. Focusing on what God has done and what He is doing should encourage man to hold onto God as a Deliverer, Preserver, and as God that cannot fail. Are you feeling lonely or getting overwhelmed concerning any challenge in your life? As a child of God, you are not alone. Take your stand and regain your focus on Him. He alone is abundantly able to see you through.
Elijah called for rain to stop for three and half years and it was so. Elijah also called for rain to fall after three and half years and rain fell. Elijah alone called fire from heaven during a sacrifice on Mount Carmel and he later executed four hundred and fifty-five Baal prophets.

Despite his entire exploit through God, he confessed loneliness when he stated he was the only prophet of the Lord that was left behind. Despite his great exploit in the name of God, he fled because of Jezebel’s threat to kill him for executing the prophets of Baal. Elijah ran from wilderness to mountain. Twice in the course of his running, he responded to God’s appearance to him, “…I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:10) Loneliness was evident in Elijah. Elijah requested from God during his running away from Jezebel, “It is enough! now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4) Elijah’s request was to the extreme. Are you walking in of being lonely like Elijah? It does not mean if you have given your life to Christ or not, but it is certain that the One who created Heaven and heart loves us enough not to leave alone. Good and gracious God will always show up for our deliverance.

Prayer for today: Ask Him to deliver you from every spirit of loneliness. 

TAKE TO THE WORD

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Take to the word you will walk over your world.

Genesis 1

The word of God is power to heal and to deliver. The bible declares it in Psalm 107:20, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. What He said to one speaks to all. It is the same word that was in the beginning and that is today. John testifies, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:1-5) Indeed Genesis 1:3 confirmed the power of God’s word stating, “Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

The bible does not waste word when it mentioned, “And God saw the light, that it was good…”  Everything He said He saw. We must consciously expect to see that everything He said we shall see if we believe Him.

God compares the manifestation of His word to how rain or snow comes down and not return but to water the land in Isaiah 55:10-11, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there,
but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” The word of God cannot fail neither can it return void without performing what it says. The only way for the word not to perform is when man fails to receive the word. Are you taking to the word or the world is taking you out of the word of God. The Israelites began to reject God’s promise of land which flow with milk and honey when they encounter challenges of the world.  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 will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14)
Moses went to God and God said to him, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.  But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.  (Exodus 14:15-16) Indeed and in truth, they walked on the word when the sea turned to a dry ground.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace for the word of God to overtake you.

DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF?

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: God introduced Moses to Moses so that Moses could know what was in his hand.

Exodus 4

Do you know yourself in the Lord? Knowing yourself in the Lord is to know what the Lord has deposited in you. It is how much we know ourselves in the Lord that will determine how far we go in the journey of God’s calling. Do you know yourself in the Lord? Psalm 49:20 stated, “A man who is in honor yet does not understand is like the beasts that perish.” One who does not know self in the Lord will not know how to go forward in His assignment in life. Above all, knowing yourself is to know what the Lord has put in your hand. Do you know what is in your hand? At the time God was about to raise a giant among the giants that glorified His name, excuse of not knowing self was an agent of disruption for Moses. In the calling of Moses, every attempt of God to get him on assignment was met by number of reasonable excuses. Moses did not know what the Lord had for him and neither does he realized what the Lord deposited in His hand for the great assignment.

God will not call man for assignment without empowering man. At the time He called Moses, Moses does not know himself. God introduced Moses to Moses so that Moses could know what was in his hand. It is written, “So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand),” (Exodus 4:2-4) A rod of God in hand is power of God at hand. Moses could not have been able to carry the assignment if the Lord did not show to him what He had deposited in him. If you have been called, know this day that He has put a fitting rod in your hand for the assignment.

Among all the disciples that walked with Jesus while He was on the face of earth, none contributed to the assignment of the Kingdom of God like the apostle Paul. Apostle Paul did not walk with Jesus on the face of earth but he knew himself in the Lord more than any of the disciples. Paul testified, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) Know yourself and take off into the direction of your calling.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding that you may know yourself in God’s assignment for your life.