All posts by Tunde Soniregun

Expectation

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Where there is expectation there will be a manifestation.

Esther 1, 2

It is written, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2) In this season of a new beginning, what is your expectation? Where there is expectation there will be a manifestation. It is one thing to have a New Year resolution and it is another to have a New Year expectation. Your New Year resolution is in your rest solution. Rest solution is no where other than in the living Word of God. Trusting God for unlimited breakthrough is not a sin but a blessing. Esther’s kind of encounter of unlimited breakthrough is a kind of breakthrough to desire. Esther was the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter. (Esther 2:15) It was the refusal of Queen Vashti that allowed for the entrance for Queen Esther. Pray that someone, somewhere, someday will make a wrong move or a wrong decision that will bring forth your right move into your breakthrough. Queen Vashti was the Queen of King Ahasuerus. At one point, King Ahasuerus requested the Queen’s presence, but the Queen made a decision not to move at the request of the King. This did not sit well with the King, so he sought counsel from his closest advisors about what to do in response. Esther 1:15, “What shall we do to queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?” The result of the King’s Counsel was Queen Vashti’s banishment from the presence of the King. As a result, Esther was brought into place as the new Queen. Esther, meaning star in Persian language, lived to answer her name. A daughter of a captive became King Ahasuerus’ Queen. Esther was the least expected to replace Queen Vashti. Have you thought of your story changing overnight in a land in which you were an alien or a land where all hope is hanging in the balance? Someone, somewhere, someday will make a wrong move that will bring forth your right move into your breakthrough in this new season. Esther’s elevation brought forth deliverance for the Jews who were under the control of King Ahasuerus. Are you in your “Esther position” now? Do you know if you have come to your present position for such a time as you now find yourself? Do not be silent, be a relief for those who are in need for God’s sake. If you are one that believes in the name of God, be expectant and God will bring forth your breakthrough.

Prayer for today: Ask God to have mercy on you as His custom is towards those that love His name.

January 2011 Issue

Monthly Newsletter

 “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

The will of God in Christ Jesus for us is to live and have life abundantly. God is not an authoritarian nor a dictator but a creator. He is a creator whose word is perfect. He is the Commanding commander, Healing healer also an Unchanging changer. God is referred to and He has demonstrated many times, He is still demonstrating as a Longsuffering God and that testifies to the fact that the Almighty Creator is neither an authoritarian nor a dictator because no dictator can be identified as longsuffering. The Bible declares in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God is concerned for us having life but if you cannot concur with His concern you have condemned yourself unto losing life. God wants us to live as the year, month, week, and days rolls on He does want us to have life and to have it more abundantly. Jesus clearly stated when He declared to us, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) How are you living in order to have the life that He has come to give? It does matter that we live according to the will of the Lord of Host, the Ancient of days, the only God that inhabits eternity. To live according to His will is to fear Him. Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, in response to the Satan during the time of wilderness temptations, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4) For us to live, we are to live by every word, not the word that is most convenient, not only the word that we chose to live but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Do you wonder why the word of God is so important to live? The word of God is the power of God and also is the power from God that is enough to navigate in the journey of life. The power that is in the word of God is the power that created the world, Jeremiah 51:15, “He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding.” Remember, there was no record of Him using a bulldozer or caterpillar or hiring any contractor in creating the earth as recorded in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 but by the same word of His mouth that has been given to us. Why not take the word and embrace it with constant and consistent mediation then wait to see the result?
The word of God is power to create and to deliver. It is written, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20) The word that comes out of His mouth is still answering just like it was at the beginning. God testifies to His word, “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.”(Isaiah 55:11) The word of God has to be constantly operated and not just to be quoted or interpreted. Also the word of God is not for decoration but declaration when any situation or confrontation demands. Apostle Paul could not keep to himself alone but recommended the word as the only Building builder when he stated, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”(Acts 20:32) Do not be reduced but be built up to posses your inheritance.
OPERATING THE WORD: Deuteronomy 30:14, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” All that makes the word to work is when you do the word; the word will do for you exceedingly and abundantly. Are you doing the word? Doing the word is to believe the word. Believing the word of God is behaving the word. Receive the word of God, believe it and behave it then you are set for exploit because the word of God will do for you in this world. God encourages us through Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8). The book of Law, which is the word of God and not of any man, is the will of God for us to have life. Until, we are able to live by every word of God, the world of wickedness continues in its exploits. Simon and his fellow fishermen, after overnight toiling with no single catch had an encounter with the word of God. The word of God sounded in their direction stating, “…launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4) At the sound of His word, a catch settled all night toiling with abundance. Ask for the grace of His word to sound in your direction and the grace to receive and live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. With His word you are bound to have a year, month, week, of celebration.

FAITH CAPSULE:
For us to live, we are to live by every word of God.
All that makes the word to work is when we do the word.
‘Tunde

 

Do Not Faulter

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Faltering has its root in the spirit of doubt, and doubt is a demonstration of lack of faith

1 Kings 18:20-24

The journey of life is a race. In the race of life, any one that drops out falters. The apostle Paul talked about race, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) Paul shared the secret of his running by pointing out all that it takes to run a qualified race: There must be a knowing that one is in a race and not in a game; one is running with understanding that there is prize at stake; one is running with certainty and knowing that running is a fight that demands discipline. In Paul’s secret it is clear that, running a race demands following God. If you are following the Lord, you cannot be one that that falters. The formal definition of “falter” is: “to be unsteady in purpose or action, as from loss of courage or confidence.” You claim to have given your life to the Lord, you go everywhere there is fellowship, but when storms come, you are the first to falter. To falter is to lack faith and is also evidence of not following Him fully. Before Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah asked the people, 1 Kings 18:21, “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘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.” They could not answer because they knew they had not been faithful in following their God. It is important for you to answer the question, “How long will you falter?” Faltering has its root in the spirit of doubt, and doubt is a demonstration of lack of faith. Hebrews 11:6, “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.” It is clear that you cannot be faltering and be following Him at the same time. Also, it is not possible to serve two masters at the same time.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from whatever is causing you to be unsteady in purpose or action, courage and confidence. Set your mind and all of your heart in following the Lord. Follow Him fully and He will see you through in all that concerns you.  

Avoid Affliction

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: When affliction persists it becomes oppression.

Exodus 3, 4

Affliction is defined as a condition of great distress, pain or suffering. Affliction comes in different ways and it could be self-inflicted or enemy-inflicted. Most times, conscious or unconscious disobedience to the word of God is the cause of affliction. The bottom line with the issue of affliction is the truth that God in His goodness and mercy has deliverance in place for anyone who will not misplace the word that delivers from affliction. The Bible states, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”(Psalm 34:19) God delivers from all afflictions. The same word of God that promises deliverance from affliction in Psalm 34:19 does not mention what it requires to be delivered from affliction until Proverb 11:9 where it states, “…But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” Unmistakably, without knowledge gained in the word of God, claiming deliverance from affliction will be a mere word of the mouth that is not backed with power. It is knowledge to know to look up unto God and not man for deliverance from affliction. When affliction persists it becomes oppression and when oppression is in place the ability to serve God is either replaced or misplaced. In Egypt, the children of Israel experienced affliction and oppression that made God call for their service unto Him. The experience of the Israelites did not happen in just one day–it was a gradual build up. Affliction will not announce itself and will always take its time before it takes your time away from God. The affliction of the Israelites started when a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, took over as head of Egypt. With the new King, came a new rule which attempted to reduce the population of Israel, It is written, “Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh Supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.” (Exodus 1:11-13) What is taking you away from your service to God? Whatever is distracting you from serving God is a plan of the enemy to deny you from taking possession of your inheritance among the sanctified. In the pursuit of acquiring money a believer may come under affliction. Affliction can show itself in different and often comfortable ways before it becomes painful and uncomfortable. When it was time for God to deliver the children of Israel, He sent Moses to get them out of affliction and into the land of Canaan. Just as God sent Moses, so He has sent His own dear Son to deliver us from every form of affliction.

Prayer for today: Ask God today to deny all that represents affliction in your life.

Prayer Time

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: All year long demands prayer but this time of the year calls for prayer to be intensified.

Psalm 28, Matthew 6:5-15

Obeying the command of God is a blessing and not obeying His commands brings forth a curse. Jesus commanded, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew &:7-8) Are you one that takes time to ask, seek or knock on man for solution or on Jesus for solution? The word of God that commands us to pray will deliver when we pray. God is a prayer answering God. The same God yesterday, today, and tomorrow is still answering prayers. What is wrong with your prayer? Is your prayer getting through or getting shelved? It is written, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye shall He not see?” (Psalm 94:9)  God hears us before we ask. Most times, our manner of asking is what needs attention. How you ask and what you ask for has much to with what you get for an answer. It is written, “But when you pray, go into your room; and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:6) Among prayer hindering forces, which of the above hinders your prayer? Is it your location that identifies you before everyone as one who knows how to pray? Remember, it is not of determination; it is of grace. Is it the choice of words you use to impress the listener that guides your prayer? Repetition is a sure way to hinder your prayer. Among prayer hindering forces mentioned by David is, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” (Psalm 66:18) God’s Word is true. Meditate on His word. God does not lie and since He has said He will answer when you call, He will not fail. It is a blessing to, “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14)  The time that you spend in prayer is time spent waiting on the Lord; the time it takes to get answer is also time spent waiting on the Lord. Waiting demands that you wait in faith. All year long demands prayer but this time of the year calls for prayer to be intensified. God will answer you this day in Jesus’ name.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to increase and be consistent in waiting on God.