FAITH CAPSULE: Your delay will turn unto deliverance in the name of Jesus.

1 Samuel 13

Is there any area of your expectation that is experiencing delay? Is your waiting for answer seems to be taking longer than expected? Indeed it is not time to give up waiting neither is it time for over anxiousness. Always remember the word of Philippians 4:6-7 which states, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Whenever delay is in place one must consciously ignore it. As a believing believer, whenever there is a failure to ignore delay, doubt will take charge over one’s believe.

When the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel King Saul was not able to wait for Samuel’s appointed time (seven days) for burnt offering and peace offering. It is written, “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.  So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering.  Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.” (1 Samuel 13:8-10) Could have been a slight delay on the seventh day when Samuel showed up. Saul failed to ignore delay but went and violated the command of God which denies him from carrying out priestly prerogatives. Saul’s inability to ignore delay set him for his destruction. One thing is certain, for any man who faithfully waits on God, delay cannot deny and it shall fail to prevail.

The Israelites, on their journey to the Promise Land allowed delay to set them against their God. At a time Moses went up to the mountain, the Israelites could not ignore delay. The Bible record, “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”(Exodus32:1)  The children of Israel knew quite well by virtue of their exposure to different miracles through Moses that God could not have abandoned them, yet they allowed delay to pass them onto unnecessary anxiousness and worry. As a result of Moses’ delay from coming down from the mountain, an unholy gathering took over from where there was supposed to be holy gathering. Inability to ignore delay set the Israelites up to seek for another God.

Are you experiencing delay? Keep focus on God and consider your delay to be deliverance on the way.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be focus on God in every step of my life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Looking up to God is seeking God persistently.

Ezra 8

In time of confronting challenge, help comes from different avenue. However, where our help comes from will determine how challenge is resolved. Whenever a man look up to man for help challenge is bound to reoccur. Any man that makes the choice to look up to God for help in time of challenge is set to have challenge become permanently terminated.  As a child of God help is always available when there is a look up to God. The psalmist testifies, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:1-4) The psalmist must have been in a position or situation that called for help when he made his choice to look up to the hills for help. God is above all the hills and He is the loving Father who will not neglect any of His creation who makes the choice to look up to Him. Who do you look up to during your confronting challenges?

During the reign of King Artaxerxes, Ezra was to return to Babylon. There was a need for protection for the journey back to Babylon. Ezra made a choice to look up to God for protection. He testified, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.” (Ezra 8:21-23)

God is a caring God and He cares for those who care to seek Him by looking up to Him. He is a Mighty Warrior that never fails. Looking up to God demands persistent faith. Persistent faith is seeking God diligently by not giving up until answer comes forth. Hebrew 11:6 buttress, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Keep on seeking Him there is no regret for those who seek Him diligently.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to always look up only to Him by seeking Him diligently.

FAITH CAPSULE: Take the word of God and terminate your tormentor.

Exodus 14

Peter and his fellow professional fishermen failed to catch fish all night. They failed in their area of expertise and engage the process of packing up for that day. As they wash their nets, the One in charge of every creation showed up and released a lack-terminating word unto them stating, “…Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4) The fishermen had every reason to doubt or denounce the lack-terminating word which sounded in their direction but they responded by obeying. As a result of their obedience, “…they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:6-8) Are you allowing your condition or challenges to dictate, determine how you respond to the word of God which sound in your direction? Are you in any situation where all your turning has turned out wrong? Have you found yourself on a ground where you have been grounded due to lack of positive result?  Is there any area of life where you have been toiling? It does not matter how long you have been toiling if you will listen and hear the living word of God toiling will be terminated. The disciples listen, heard, and were able to receive and believe. The fishermen’s believe caused them to see an end to toiling. The word which sounded in direction of the fishermen is still loud and clear if you will listen and hear.

Are you experiencing the persistence of Pharaoh’s representative in your life? The Israelites had the experience Pharaoh persistent. Despite the entire miracle that brought them out of the bondage of over four hundred years, Pharaoh remained stubbornly persistent going after the Israelites life. You are not immune to experiencing challenges of wicked ones. However, God has sent His word to heal and to deliver us from destruction. When Pharaoh refused to back off from the Israelites, the word of God which sounded through Moses buried Pharaoh’s might and strength in the middle of the Red Sea. It is written, “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 will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14) Take word of God and your Pharaoh will be terminated.

Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to have a place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Man can forsake you but God will move you forward.

Genesis 37

Have you been forsaken where you are looking forward to be embraced? It can be emotional exhausting or exceedingly discouraging when man encounters disengagement in the place where is to be embraced. Among the best way to describe forsaken experience is in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Israel (Jacob) called on his son Joseph to go and see if it is well with his brothers and with the flocks, and bring back word to him.

It was a simple act obedience that led Joseph into God’s divine agenda. The Bible recorded, “Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” (Genesis 37:18-20)  Joseph went forward to his brothers in peace while the brothers were set to engage him bitterly. The brothers of Joseph, raised under the same roof, received training from the same father, played, ate, drank and worked together conspired against their younger brother because of his dream. Word of God is true as documented in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?” One thing is certain about God; He does not sleep nor slumber. In times of evil agenda, it is certain that God’s protection plan always prevail over His children. The psalmist testifies, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken…” (Psalm 37:25) “For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever…” (Psalm 37:28) Man can cast you off, your closest ones can possibly forsake you but God will never cast off His people nor forsake His people.

What is causing intimidation against you? Joseph’s brothers were intimidated because of his dream, the grace of God upon his life. The brothers were desperately wicked and when he got to his brothers, “…they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it” (Genesis 37: 23-24)

Joseph’s story presented itself as if God was not watching over Joseph but God was actually leading and directing each and every step of Joseph that no man could have been able to derail him. Joseph was taking steps of divine agenda. Watch the wicked do their assignment and people we see God excel you over and above all of the wicked one’s agenda. Man can forsake you but God will move you forward.

Prayer for the day: Ask for God’s deliverance plan to become manifested in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The time of the year is not calling a time out for your miracle to cease.

1 Samuel 1

It is written, “Then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” (Luke 18:1-5) The parable of Jesus points out the need to be persistent in our asking. It does not matter how long you have been trusting God for your miracle but it counts to remain persistent until there is a miracle breakthrough. For a man to stop asking without having received what is being asked for is the evidence of a punctured faith and not a persistent faith.

God does not respond top assumption. Man should never approach God assuming that God knows the need. One thing is certain, God is always waiting for us to ask by calling on Him. Knowing to call on Him will provoke His hand for an undeniable miracle because He is God that is true to His word. Isaiah 58:9, “Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am…’” It takes the heart which trusts to remember and call in the midst of unbearable challenges. Bartimaeus the blind knew that the Healing Healer, the Eternal Surgeon was passing when he cried out for help. Jesus heard his cry and gave him audience by calling for him. Bartimaeus approached Jesus, “So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51) Jesus could have restored his sight without any question however, Jesus was not going to violate His command which calls for us to ask and it shall be given. (Mathew 7:7) Bartimaeus asked for his sight in response to Jesus’ command and his sight was restored.

Hannah did not cut off her miracle but she persists in her going to Shiloh every year. Against all odds such as frustration, provocation and mockery she prevailed because she insisted and remained persistent. Hannah had her miracle breakthrough when the Lord opened her womb for Samuel to come forth. The time of the year is not calling a time out on your miracle to cease; you keep on calling all the time. Do not give up, resist, insist and be persistent for God to show up on your behalf.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help your unbelief.