FAITH CAPSULE: Whenever a man is not in position he will be powerless in operation.

Genesis 31

Whenever God calls you out no man can curse you out. When God moves you no man can remove you. When God delivers you no man can deny you. Regardless of any situation, when God says go no situation under heaven can stop you. After Jacob cheated Esau from his blessing, Isaac sent him away because of Esau’s threat. “So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.” (Genesis 28:5) At Laban, Jacob married two of Laban’s daughter. Despite having two of Laban’s daughters (Rachel and Leah) as his wives and having made all his wealth from working for Laban, Jacob did not inform nor bid farewell to Laban the Syrian at the time of his moving. Jacob’s excuse for such a move was based on the truth that he heard from God that he should return to the land of his family. Genesis 31:3, “Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”” Evidently, God called for Jacob’s return but then, the relationship between both Jacob and Laban was no longer favorable. After Jacob had left, Laban went after him with bad intentions because Rachel stole Laban’s household idol. With all his bad intentions, God appeared to him in a dream and cautioned him to be careful in his dealing with Jacob. As a result, when he caught up with Jacob, he stated, “It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’”(Genesis 31:29) Whenever God asks you to go or return there will be no other power under heaven that can stand against you. Also, there will be no power that is capable of hurting you in the journey that the Lord has placed in your life. It was God that called Jacob to return and Laban is not in position to operate against the command of God. Whenever a man is not in position he will be powerless in operation. Concerning Jacob, Laban was powerless. Have you been called out by God? Is your move in response to the calling of God? Do not move on your own understanding. However, pay attention to the words of Proverbs 3:4-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” God is not a man that He should falter in His word. What God says He will do is a done deal.

Prayer for today: Ask God in your going and coming that no agent of the wicked shall prevail against your going and coming in this month.

FAITH CAPSULE: If you will let the enemy have its way in your life, he will go beyond making you miserable and attempt to kill you.

Exodus 1

In life situations changes from time to time and challenges present it without warning. Regardless of who you are, where you are or what you do life challenges can be very unpredictable and exceedingly painful. Are you facing any challenge which you have not called for? The children of Israel moved to Egypt when Joseph was in position to accommodate them in Egypt. The Bible recorded after the death of Joseph, “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10) Suddenly, the children of Israel became a threat to the new King. God’s blessing of the children of Israel was the cause of fear for the Egyptian king. God’s blessing was increasing the children of Israel while the enemy attempted to reduce them. Does this sound like your situation? God’s increase in your life is building up the enemy’s attempt to reduce you. As a result of the growth of the children of Israel, “the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor. (Exodus 1:13-14) God is not asleep nor is he too tired to help in your deliverance. He moved concerning the children of Israel when He heard their cry. The new king did not stop at making life miserable for the children of Israel but went further and gave command to kill every newborn son of the children of Israel. If you will let the enemy have its way in your life, he will go beyond making you miserable and attempt to kill you. Pharaoh meant business in his attempt to terminate the children of Israel because of their growth but God has the power to help and overthrow. Have you specifically asked God concerning all that is causing you pain? It is never too much or too late to ask. “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)  Are you willing to see God terminate every Pharaoh that is hunting you life?

Prayer for today: Cry unto God that every man or woman, every agent of the wicked that are causing pain and rigor in your life, in your emotions, in your finances, in your home and in your work to face God’s termination.

FAITH CAPSULE: A true believer is one that does not only memorize the word of God but also behave the word.

1Kings 17: 1-7

The word of God is powerful, and it was given to us for our deliverance. When we have a clear understanding of the word of God, it will answer in time of challenges. We need to have a clear understanding of the word, because knowing about the word is not enough but to be known in the word. A true believer is one that does not only memorize the word of God but also behave the word. Elijah demonstrated what it means to be a believer that behaves the word of God. The declaration of Elijah was not empty when he approached king Ahab of Israel, “…as the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”(1 Kings 17:1) Indeed, Elijah’s declaration fully accomplished its purpose when rain ceased for three and half years. The God that answered Elijah is not a partial God; he will answer all those who take a stand in his word. God will always respond on behalf of every word behaving believer like Elijah. Elijah understood the word and demonstrated a knowing edge when he declared, “As the Lord lives” Elijah knew the word enough by operating Jeremiah 4:1-2 which states, “If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “Return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved. And you shall swear, ‘The LORD lives.’” Elijah did not only quote God but he declares his stand. What is Elijah’s stand? Psalm 24:3-4 asked the same question and gave the answer when it states, “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.” Every believer that can answer yes to having a stand that is right before God will no doubt operate the kind of Elijah declaration. Elijah’s exploit is not what we can not do because the Bible made us to realize that, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17-18) Elijah’s sincere zealousness for God was evidence when he prayed earnestly. As a believer, is your stand right in the Lord? Knowing to quote the word of God will not produce the same result like living and behaving the word God.

Prayer for today: My Father and my God let your word have its place in my life. 

FAITH CAPSULE: God cannot be rushed out of His plan of salvation.

1 Kings 19

After Elijah executed the prophets of Baal at Brook Kishon, Jezebel the wife of Ahab the king of Israel threatened to do the same to Elijah. When news got to Elijah, he did not take the time to seek God for answers, but instead he fled for his life. The Bible recorded, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4)Elijah wished death for himself because he took off running before seeking direction from God. As a believer, when we are faced with challenges it is important for us to learn how to wait on God instead of making hasty decisions to remedy challenges. Waiting on Him will enable us to run where we need to run and walk where we need to walk. As Elijah progressed in his running from under a broom tree into the cave, God responded to him, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD…” (1 Kings 19:11)The command for Elijah to stand is waiting for God to show up. Are you experiencing a similar situation, where you have taken a jump before learning how to walk? While Elijah was standing on the mountain waiting for God, the bible records,“…and behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1Kings 19:11) Trusting God is not timing God. Trusting God is taking time to wait for the Lord. God cannot be rushed out of His salvation plan. God did not show up in the great and strong wind neither did He showed up in the earthquake or fire. God’s appearance or His time of His visitation cannot be controlled by man. His timing is not our timing. We have clocks that we can manipulate in our hand but He alone has time in His hand. How or when you are expecting Him does not matter to Him but it does matter for you to take a stand in waiting. For Elijah, God showed up in a still and small voice. His visitation for you might not be the still and small voice. Do not calculate Him but respond to His command. God’s command for you is to trust and wait on the Lord. God has never failed.

Prayer for today: Deliver me in Your righteousness. Let me not be ashamed.