FAITH CAPSULE: Prayer is the combination of asking, seeking, and knocking.

John 3

The word of God is true and, “All the scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

It is profitable to know and engage the truth in the word that prayer opens heaven. The combination of asking, seeking, and knocking will bring about open heaven. Jesus was teaching when He stated, in Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jesus was teaching from experience, and from what He knows will undoubtedly happen.

Jesus, by example proved that the key for opening heaven is in prayer. Jesus went to where John was baptizing people so that He may be baptized also. The Bible recorded “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.”(John 3:21) Among all that were baptized before Jesus, none was recorded to have prayed. Jesus prayed and heaven was opened. In your prayer is there any conscious expectation for manifestation? When prayer opens heaven there is no force on earth that will be able to stop or deny heaven’s response package. After Jesus’ prayer, “…the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”(Luke 3:22) Right after the open heaven’s manifestation, Jesus went straight into the center of His assignment on earth. Luke 3:23 pointed out, “…Jesus Himself began His ministry…” By this word, if you have prayed, and there is no experience of an open heaven on your behalf, it is time to take your prayer to another level. Are you experiencing a shut up heaven or open heaven? Your open heaven will grant your access into the center of your divine assignment if prayer will become your constant engagement. Jesus proved to us that prayer opens heaven, and the Bible enables us to know that adversaries forces against open heaven. Apostle Paul testifies, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9) Regardless of adversaries’ activity, it is important to know that effective, fervent prayer will deny any adversary of hindrance to great and effective open heaven.

Prayer for today: Ask that all adversaries at your open heaven shall be burned off by the consuming fire of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Ask God that every evil agenda set against you shall be terminated in the name of Jesus.

Acts 12:1-19

Praying the word of God is prevailing in your world. The Psalmist declared, “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.” (Psalm 121:1-3) In your prayer ask to God, “Cause me O Lord to only look up to you and to know not to look up to other avenue in every area of life.”

Ask God for the grace to see and receive His mercy that you shall not be in vain. In life, it is one thing to see and it is another to know to receive. It is one who is able to see what the Lord is showing that will know to receive. What you see and able to receive will determine what becomes of you. God was set to take the children of Israel to the Promised Land and the Wall of Jericho took a stand to deny the Israelites a passage. It is written, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” (Joshua 6:1-2) God commanded Joshua to see victory when victory was yet in place. Joshua’s encounter demonstrates the need to pray for the grace to know and see that you may receive what God has put in place for your break through.

It is worthy to rise early in the day and pray: Father, deliver me from every hand of the wicked that has been stretched in my direction, to harass me. The Bible recorded in Acts 12:1-2, “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” The hand of Herod which went out against James, took the life of James. It was the same hand that was raised in direction of Peter attempting to kill Peter, “So when he had arrested him, he put him in a prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.” (Acts 12:4) Herod had evil agenda for Peter. What is it that has evil agenda for your life? Are there any evil agenda against your life? Ask God that every evil agenda that is set against you, in all areas of your life, God will put it into a permanent termination. Without doubt Peter was set for the same evil occurrence, “…Constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”  (Acts 12:5)

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace and strength to increase in your prayer time.

FAITH CAPSULE: To falter in the place of faith is to lack faith and also an evidence of not following Him fully.

1 Kings 18

By all standards, anyone who claims to be following the Lord should not be one whose life is patterned to falter. The formal definition of falter is: “To be unsteady in purpose or action, as from loss of courage or confidence.” One who claims to follow the Lord and attends fellowship of believers, but fails to stand when storms comes is not true in his/her faith. To falter in the place of faith is to lack faith and also an evidence of not following Him fully.

Before Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah asked the children of Israel and the prophets of Baal that gathered on Mount Carmel, “…How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ but the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings 18:21) All of the people failed to answer Elijah’s question because they were not faithful in following their God fully. It matters for you to be able to answer for yourself, how long will you falter? Man can be deceived but God alone cannot be deceived, “For the Lord does not see as man see, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) Answering yes or no is the determinant of where you stand in the Lord. Do you have enough relationship with the Lord not to doubt Him? Are there any of your life challenges questioning where you stand?

Faltering has its root in the spirit of doubt, and doubt is a demonstration of lack of faith. It is written, “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.” (Hebrews 11:6) One who constantly falters is one without faith and without faith God is not please. Those who diligently seek God constantly follow Him fully and will be rewarded by God. It is definite that one who falters cannot follow the Lord fully and will serve two masters at the same time. Following God fully is the evidence of the fear of God. The Bible declares that, “…the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.” (Psalm 33:18) Set your mind and all of your heart in following the Lord; seek Him diligently by following Him fully and He will see you through in all areas of your challenges.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from whatever it is that is causing man to be unsteady in purpose or action.

FAITH CAPSULE: Pay attention to the calling upon your life He will attend to you not to fail.

Acts 9

Did you get a call from Him? The Bible says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24) It does not matter who you are; where you are; what you have done or what you are doing in the Lord. If He did not call you to move, you will be removed. If He has not placed you on a hide-out ground you will end up sliding. Once, Elijah approached King Ahab and prayed to cause rain to cease. After his prayer, “Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,  “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.  And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” (1 Samuel 17:2-4) What God says do is a done deal. The whole land suffered from the drought as a result of Elijah’s prayer but Elijah did not suffer, he was backed up by God. God commanded him to go into hiding where provision is least expected. Elijah obeyed God’s command and lack could not have place in his life.

Are you sure the Lord is asking you to go and hide or is He asking you not to move? Are you running when He has not called you to run? Are you walking where the Lord did not call you to walk? When He has not called you to run and you do, you will be replaced. Running or walking where He has not commanded will be short of strength that is rooted in God’s powered word. The book of Isaiah 40:31 document what it takes to run or walk with strength, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” God is a precise God when it comes to Him honoring His word. Can you wait on God for a precise direction? Those who know to wait will not waste.

Jesus called Ananias in a vision to go and baptize Saul at the time Saul was persecuting disciples. Ananias responded to Jesus, “…Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” (Acts 9:13-14) Jesus gave Ananias word of strength stating, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16) Ananias went and delivered as commanded. Pay attention to the calling upon your life He will attend to you not to fail.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open the eyes and the ears of your heart.

FAITH CAPSULE: There is no reasonable excuse for disobedience before God.

1 Samuel 13:1-15

God called Saul when He sent Samuel, “Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance” (1 Samuel 10:1-2) Samuel responded to God’s direction when he anointed Saul as the first king over the children of Israel. God is the Almighty and He knows the end from the beginning. The operation of His hands is not to be ignored but to be fully regarded to constantly fear of His holy name. God’s spoke to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” The word of God to Jeremiah testified to God’s awesomeness and confirms the truth that there is no hiding whatsoever before Him. Have you been called by God to serving Him in any capacity? It is a privilege to be called by God. To be called by God is one thing another thing is to be fully obedient in the line of God’s calling.

Saul, in the second year of his reign violated God when he despised God’s command. It happened when the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel. In process for the fight, the Israelites do not have military might to fight the war. As a result, they were afraid and they hide from the Philistines while some crossed over the border for their safety. While the trauma of the challenges posed by Philistines was troubling to the Israelites, Saul became compelled to assume priestly entitlements by offering a burnt offering. He also violated Samuel’s instruction for not waiting for seven days as commanded by Samuel.

At the arrival of Samuel, he spoke to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14)  Saul had his excuse for violating Gods command and his failure not to wait for Samuel. Saul’s reasons could not move God but it removed him from God’s plan. Saul despised the word of God as a result his kingdom was destroyed and he could not to be established over Israel. Saul focused on his challenge and became compelled. Do not lose focus on God or your concerns will compel you to despise God’s command.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help see you through in His assignment for your life.