FAITH NOT FEAR
1 Samuel 28

The invasion of fear into the life of a believer will grant faith its own vacation. Also, when faith is granted entrance by a simple heart through the Word of God, fear will have no choice but to vacate itself. During any time or inside of anyone who allows fear to gain access over faith, failure is set to reign and rule. Whenever fear invades, confusion and making wrong, destructive decisions prevails. Fear is one of the major enemy’s weapons to kill, steal and destroy. King Saul entertained fear that eventually terminated his life. 1 Samuel 28:4-5, “Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.” Fear occupied Saul and he lost the key to open heaven. “…Saul inquired of the LORD, and the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.” (1 Samuel 28:6) Loosing the key to your open heaven will allow hell to open up on you. King Saul began to make wrong decisions and wrong moves by turning to sources that were not of God in attempt to turn his situation around for good. In life, it does not matter the level of faith in the life of a believer, when fear is allowed to invade, faith will always fail to prevail. Peter, a disciple of Jesus, walked with Jesus, ate with Jesus and witnessed great miracles. Despite all, Peter allowed faith to sink when fear rose in him in the middle of storm. Matthew 14:29-32, “So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”Have you given a place to fear inside of you? Is there any sign that you are sinking in the face of your challenges? Give yourself a candid examination and determine if you have allowed fear instead of faith. Turn to God and your faith will be turned on. Fear is of the enemy while faith is of God. Faith comes by hearing of the Word and fear comes by denying the Word of God. Pay attention to the Word and your world will turn around for His glory.

Prayer for today: I ask Lord, let every generating forces of fear be permanently denied in my life for Your Name to be glorified.  

KEEP ON THANKING HIM
2 Samuel 9

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”The Word of God went further concerning the issue of thanks giving when it stated in Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear o God.” Clearly and evidently, these two scriptural verses pointed out that, those that give thanks for all things, will have all things work together for good on their behalf. As difficult or as challenging situations can be, there is never a reason not to give thanks for all things and in all things. Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, grandson of King Saul, was not born lame but became lame in an attempt to run away from getting killed when the news of his father, Jonathan, and his grandfather, King Saul’s, death came to his nurse(2 Samuel 4:4). During his attempt to escape, with the help of his nurse, he fell down and became lame. In that situation, the reason for thanking God could have been very painful or almost impossible. In every situation where the end result of situations, or challenges, is not clear, thanking God could be difficult, and almost impossible. Can you put aside what ever pain you are going through at this present time and every other time ahead of you? It is worth of it. Realize that God alone reverses the irreversible, and your situation, or challenge, could end up like that of Mephibosheth, or become better than that of Mephibosheth. In the case of Mephibosheth, the accident that made him become lame actually preserved his life from dying an untimely death. His life was also preserved for a better and glorious ending. Among all the sons and grandsons of Saul, Mephibosheth with his lameness, was located with kindness, unlike all the other sons of Saul. King David declared, “…Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1)The accident that resulted to Mephibosheth’s lameness became a blessing in disguise when he began to live life like one of the King’s son. “…As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at “my table like one of the king’s sons” (2 Samuel 9:11) Who could have thought about the later days of Mephibosheth? There is never a reason not to give Him thanks for all things at all times.

Prayer for today: David stated in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” I ask O Lord, my God and my father, enable me that praising Your holy name, and thanking You will continually be in my mouth, my heart, and all of my being.

GAINNING STRENGTH
1 Samuel 30

In this life of challenges, there is nothing that happens to a man that has ever happened before neither is there any challenging situation that cannot be found in the Scripture. Indeed, the Bible is true to the fact that it is written for our learning. As a believer in the Word of God, what you are going through does have its diagnosis and prescription in the pages of Scripture if you will take some time out and take a faith pill for your challenges. 1 Samuel 30:6, “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” David was facing an insurmountable challenge because the ones who were following him in the time of his running away from King Saul were captured and were taken away as prisoners of war. As a result, David, the leader, was held responsible. The Bible records that David was not just distressed but was greatly distressed. As a believer in the Word of God, is there any way that you have become greatly distressed? If you will learn from David then you will know how to deal with your challenge. The prescription is, “Strengthen yourself in the Lord your God.” David strengthened himself in the Lord his God and he had victory on his side. What does it take to strengthen oneself in the Lord? 1 Samuel 30:7-8, “Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, ‘Please bring the ephod here to me.’ And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?’ And He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.’ ” To be strengthened in the Lord is to wait on the Lord just like David waited on the Lord. The Bible confirmed it in Isaiah 40:31, “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.” Waiting on the Lord is gaining strength over confronting challenges. It cannot be found any where in the pages of Scripture where a man prevails by his own strength. If you will turn around unto waiting on the Lord, you would eventually prevail and regain your strength. It cannot be better said than the way Apostle Paul said it in the book of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” David turned to the Lord and came out of great distress and was able to do beyond and above expectation for his supporters who were taken prisoner.
Prayer for today: My God and my Father let Your Word that is like fire burn off all that is denying the entrance of Your Word into my life.    

MOVE TO BE REMOVED
Genesis 12:1-9

To get to your Canaan Land, your Promised Land, there can be no avoidance of not getting out of your country. Your country is your familiar ground, your place of comfort, the ground where you think all that will make the difference in your life exists. In getting out or when the getting out time is up before the Lord, the Lord himself will move you even if you choose not to move. God will ordain a situation that will send you packing and moving. Abraham, when it was time for him to engage the journey of faith, “The LORD said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) There was no choice or suggestion for Abraham but there was a calling to move and put all behind him. Abraham received God’s command and he responded. To move Moses out of the palace, the greatest place to live in the land, there was no call that would have been meaningful to him but the condition he found himself moved him. Moses, in his attempt to fight for his Hebrew brother, ended up killing an Egyptian. Moses, an adopted prince, in his attempt to settle another feud between his Hebrew brothers received a response, “…Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known!’ 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:14-15) By virtue of uncontrollable, unforeseen circumstances are you in flight to your Promised Land but not know that you are? As a believer in the Word of God, understand and know this today, God is in every step that you take and He will correct and redirect when you refuse to move as He moves you. Most of the giants in the Bible moved and removed at a certain point in the calling of God. David, the man after God’s own heart, ordain by God to be the king, moved from plain to valley; valley to cave. David, during one of his moves, took a flight to the land of his people’s prime enemy and spent time there. “Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.” (1 Samuel 27:7) Getting out to get going can be the most challenging but there is no joy, blessing and transformation that is better than getting to where He is moving you. Be encouraged today; God is aware of every move. Until you are removed, you will not move to where He is taking you. 
 
Prayer for today: I ask for Your help today my Lord and my God. Teach me Your Word and guide me in Your Word.