FAITH CAPSULE: Prayer is work and it excludes no man regardless of title or position inside or outside of the church.

1 Kings 19:17-21, Matthew 7:7-12,

In the history of creation there is no time prayer is needed more like today. It is written, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7) Prayer is work and it excludes no man regardless of title or position inside or outside of the church. With God, prayer can never be too much but it has to be with understanding. The Bible pointed out how Jesus often withdraws to all night prayer by Himself. A prayer-less life is an open door for pain to come in. Regardless of how long one has been getting away in life without prayer, it will only take one day for pain to gain access. Apostle Paul, a giant in the hand of God knows better to pray for himself when he stated, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom. To Him is glory forever and ever, Amen!”(2 Timothy 4:18) He asked for deliverance despite being in position to carry out deliverance for many. He could not hide his need for being preserved by God. In these days when wickedness is the order of the day, a believer needs a constant prayer like Paul prayed. Will you take some time to pray this prayer if you believe that God answers prayer? Surely, the Hand of God is for deliverance and preservation. When God defends His children deliverance answered in the life of His children. When God preserves His children, surely His children are blessed by being rescued from the forces of wickedness. God does have His way of working out deliverance and preservation for His own. God told Elijah at the time he was running from Jezebel, after he had killed four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings19:18) It is only God who can keep us by divine reservation, not our determination or our strength. Anyone’s determination and strength will fail just as it failed Peter when he promised not to deny Christ. However, the faithfulness of God will not fail you. Today, take time out to sincerely ask Him for deliverance and preservation. 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 7:7-8) If Paul the Apostle could ask for such, it is not beyond you to add such a prayer to your prayer list.

Prayer for today: What causes men to falter from God will not be your portion in the name of Jesus.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do you believe in the power of His word?

John 4:46-54

Jesus is Lord and the word of His mouth is power. The Bible recorded about a certain noble man, “…And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.” (John 4:46-47) How often have you heard of Him in the face of challenging situations? Jesus was coming from where He turned water to wine. As usual He was on transit terminating every terminating force in the life of people that went to Him for need. Many times you have heard of Him, but you never went to Him. Today, as you come in contact with the testimony that Jesus is Lord and the word of His mouth is power, breakthrough news will track you down. This day, as you go on your way to work, school, or journey, you will get breaking news of healing, favor, and deliverance–if you believe the Word of God. The nobleman’s son was dying when he came to Jesus. (John 4:49-50) “The nobleman said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.”
The noble man set out on his way to seek healing and deliverance from untimely death for his son. The noble came across Jesus, the way, the truth and life. Jesus commanded him to go his way and the responded with obedience. At the moment he responded his expectation for the way of healing for his child became a manifestation. Do you believe in the power of His word? The same power that answered for the nobleman will answer for you this day in Jesus’ name. As the nobleman received direction to go on his way, he believed and went without question, hesitation or doubt. If you will believe and go on the way you have set for yourself this day, the same Word that is still alive today will locate you for breakthrough news. John 4:51, “And as he was going down, his servants met him and told him saying, ‘Your son lives!’” Because you have believed, you will receive your breakthrough news in Jesus’ name. Every pronouncement that is negative will become news of a positive nature to the glory of God. It is your day of “good news” as you go about your desired way in the name of Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask for His word to sound in your direction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Knowing the name of Jesus is not enough if the one who claims to know Him is not known in Him.

Psalm 116

We serve the God that answers. He is the same yesterday and forever. David said, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4) David was not entertaining with words but he was gaining entrance into the court of God. David was gaining entrance into the presence of God through praise because it is praise that grants access into His court. Psalm 100:4, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Thanksgiving will get you to the gate and praise will get you into the court. David wanted to get to the court when He declared praise worship for His salvation from his enemies. Praise that is driven by joy, not just mouthful praise, but praise from the heart is what will get you to His court.
How do you call Him? He has so many names no other god shares because He alone is the great God. Which of His name will you call? It is the name of God that you call that will answer for you. If you call on Him as a God of provision, He will answer to you; and if you call on Him as God of salvation, He will not deny Himself. The question is do you know Him? It is written, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Romans 10:13)  The word says whosoever calls, and whosoever could mean anyone.
Many respond to situations by screaming “Oh my God”, and sometimes you hear people say “Oh Jez”, but it is not an indication or demonstration of knowing Him. Many people know about His name and some actually know His name. Knowing the name of Jesus is not enough if the one who claims to know Him is not known in Him. To be known in Him is to be living the Word of God daily. It may sound impossible or challenging to be living the word of God, but it is possible to live the word. If the word of God were not livable, God would not have the expectation for us to live by His word. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7) It is not enough to be fluent in His word if there is no abiding in His word. When you abide in Him you will be known in Him. The grace of God is sufficient, and it will make it possible to live the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be consistent in calling on Him alone.

FAITH CAPSULE: A believer or unbeliever that harbors hatred hinders their progress.

Isaiah 12, John 4:1-45

Do you hate? Hatred makes one a failure in every area of life. A believer or unbeliever that harbors hatred hinders their progress. The word of Proverbs 10:18 stated, “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips…” It can also be concluded that anyone with lying lips hides hatred. Do you lie? Jesus, the Truth could not hide hatred or lie in every step of His ministry. As a result of His truthfulness, He decided to go through Samaria on His way from Judea to Galilee. Going through Samaria is often forbidden by the Jew because of hatred for the Samarians. He came in love and could not walk outside of love. Are you a believer with hatred in you or the influence of hatred is causing you to side track from the way of assignment? It was in the hate polluted route that Jesus was able to plant one of the most effective testimonies of salvation. Jesus bypassed hatred to allow the revelation of living water to come to life and become more distinct. In this route of hatred He encountered a Samaritan woman and He asked for water to drink. Jesus’ request was a set-up to introduce the living water to the Samaritan woman. Jesus knew quite well that she does not have what it takes to draw living water for Him to drink. In this route, Jesus made it known to the Samaria woman, “…Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14) The Samaritan woman, having received Jesus’ message with joy, left her water pot and went and testifies. Indeed, the well of salvation is deep and every one does have a need to be able to draw for the living water. The Samaritan woman, through her encounter with Jesus, gained salvation, strength and song of salvation. By virtue of her gain, the Bible recorded, “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” (John 4:28-30) Hatred could not derail nor deny Jesus from the business of the kingdom. Are you on the right track of your calling but trapped as a result of hatred? Without a doubt, hatred is what will make the well too deep to be drawn from. However, with salvation, strength and song of salvation the kind of joy that enables one to draw from the deep well becomes undeniable.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance from every spirit of hatred.

FAITH CAPSULE: All that makes the word to work is when you do the word.

Luke 5:1-16

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)
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.

Prayer for today: 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.