FAITH CAPSULE: With expectation from God, there will be manifestation.

Acts 3

Do not stop looking up to God at any time. In every situation, at all times, make it consistent; be conversant to be looking up to God with expectation. Looking up to God should be an evidence of expectation for manifestation. The bible recorded about certain man lame from his mother’s womb. The lame man spends time daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful asking for alms from those who entered the temple. On a day, the lame man saw Peter and John about to go into the temple while asking with expectation when Peter called on him. It is written, “And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.” (Acts 3:4) Will you make it a way of life to be looking up to God with expectation for manifestation? God is not a talkative when He gave us word of authority stating, “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. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:7-9) Ask, seek and knock is what He said but not we may ask, seek of knock.
There is nothing that is difficult for God to do. Isaiah 59:1 buttressed, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” What is your challenge which God cannot see you through? God is a faithful God, through the pages of the bible, the word of God is a testimony that God is a caring God and He will wait to act for man that wait on Him by looking up to Him. The Psalmist testified in Psalm 121:1-4, “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. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” An acclaimed believer that is conversant with Psalm 121 should obviously know about looking or lifting up eyes to gain from God. Look up to God for breakthrough and not be a victim of breakdown.
It is wisdom to be taking to God’s testimonies. Do not look up to man for manifestation because the help from man will not go far. The testimony of the Lord is sure making the wise simple (Psalm 19:7) Take to the testimonies of God and allow looking up to God become your lifestyle.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of lifestyle to be looking up to Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Thank God that God alone is the only Creator.

Genesis 11:1-9, Psalm 24

What is it that you do not know about God?

It is written, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” (Isaiah 40:28) The one and only Perfect Creator God do have the fullness of the world in His hand. Bible stated, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1) Under heaven and above, no man is in place to outmaneuver God. Imagine a creation attempting to outmaneuver its creator? How can man outmaneuver God? The God that spoke to Jeremiah is the same that created heaven and earth and all its fullness. He spoke to Jeremiah, “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.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Many, by virtue of the wickedness of their heart are destroying others to build for themselves. It does not matter when and where man is building, when man attempts to build outside of God, it becomes effort to outmaneuver the only Perfect Creator.
Building outside of God can be compared to building of the Tower of Babel. The people at the time of Old Testament of the bible were positioned on a plain land with no hindrance. With no obstruction life became too easy as a result, the people gained focus to build outside of the Perfect Creator. It is written, “And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11::4) When focus is centered away from God, self-centeredness will take charge of the life that is given to man by God. Has the Lord God given you a ground with no hindrance? It is time to maintain focus of God. Those people who built the tower of Babel forgot that the land and its fullness belong to God. The people then wanted investigate God’s workshop (Heaven). Unfortunately for the self-centered ones God does not tolerate selfishness because it operates in opposition to God’s way. Selfishness represents arrogance and pride.
God saw where the people were coming from and He knew where they were going with the kind of project they embarked on. Any man’s building outside of the will of God shall provoke God’s reaction. At the time of Babel, God reacted as stated in Genesis 11:7-8, “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.” Do you still want to continue building outside of God?

Prayer for today: Ask God to take over your days and you moment to serve Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Claiming to be a believer is not enough to be carrying the power of God.

Acts 19

Itinerant Jewish exorcists that wanted to demonstrate what they do not carry in their life. The Jewish exorcists, after having witnessed miracle demonstrated through Paul the apostle, they attempted to demonstrate miracle just like Paul. It is written, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (Acts 19: 13) Interestingly, the evil spirit could not identify the itinerant Jewish exorcists as they attempted demonstration of miracle. The evil spirit responded to the Jewish exorcists as recorded, “…Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:15-16) The itinerant Jewish exorcists’ demonstration does not line with they carry in the power of God to do miracle.
How are you attempting what you do not carry in the power of God? Are you answering to what you do not carry in the power of God?
As believers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, what you carry will identify who you are in the Lord. Whatever believers carry will serve as weapon against confronting challenges. Claiming to be a believer is not enough to be carrying the power in the name of Jesus. Today, so many form of itinerant Jewish exorcists are not in the few but in the plenty numbers. 2 Timothy 3:5 talked about the present Jewish exorcists, “…having a form of godliness but denying its power about what we are against…” As a believer, are you among noise makers that communicating what Christians are against and less noise communicating what Christians stand for? Is your demonstration not loud enough for an unbeliever to see Christ in you? If for example, at your workplace, there is a call for the persecution of believers in Christ, would you be identified as one that confesses Jesus? Do you think your way of life as a follower of Christ will be enough for your fellow worker to identify you as Christ follower or itinerant Jewish exorcists?
Man can be deceived but God cannot be deceived. Galatians 6:7 declared the truth stating, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” How long do you want to be like itinerant Jewish exorcists? What is it that will identify you as a Christ follower? Paul the Apostle certainly could not have been living in your neighborhood without being recognized as a believer but not as Jewish exorcists. Even if Paul chose to be silent, his believe would identify him. Do not be like the itinerant Jewish exorcists.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be focus on Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: In the word of God, there is always answer in time of confronting challenge.

2Kings 6:1-23

Just as challenges exists and persists in the life of unbelievers so it is in the life of believers. Believers are not immune to experiencing challenges but they can be un-moveable in the face of challenges. Word of God admonishes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) Knowing to be quoting the word of God is not enough to bring deliverance in the face of challenge. However, understanding in the word of God is enough to bring forth deliverance. Proverbs 11:9 stated, “…but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” Deliverance from afflicting challenges of the righteous is rightly in the knowledge of the word of deliverance. The word of God is true to perform and perfect. As a believer, are you spending time to engage the word of God that is knowledge to deliver.
Are you thinking of what you should do in response to all the confrontations that are before you?
There is a sure and certain answer to what should be done. As a believer, it is not wrong to ask, “What should I do?” However, it is worthy to be cautious in your asking because there is no room for complaint against God. It does not matter how many strong believers or giants in the Lord are surrounding you, asking from God, “What should I do?” is exercising faith in God. The servant of Elisha had seen great miracles done by the hand of his master, a giant in the Lord. Despite all testimonies through Elisha, when confronting challenge came the servant resolved to asking, “What shall we do” The book of 2 Kings 6:15 recorded, “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’” In the word of God, there is always answer in time of confronting challenge. Elisha answered his servant, “…Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16) As a believer, it is a challenge to confront issues without fear. The word of God wants us to lay fear to rest so that faith shall rise. Paul the Apostle encouraged us “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanks giving, let your requests be made know to God; and peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6).” If you will open your spiritual eyes, you will know that you are more than a conqueror. Rejoice in the Lord always!

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of open eyes to see and know that deliverance of God is nearer.

FAITH CAPSULE: God will deliver you from any affliction under heaven.

Exodus 14

Under heaven, no man is immune from experiencing affliction however, man that knows God is in position to be delivered from affliction. Psalm 34:19 is encouraging for man that knows God stating, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out them all.” For your affliction it does not matter how long or how it persists, the word of God is an assurance for deliverance. Under heaven, no minister of God is with exemption for encountering affliction but the hand of God is not short to deliver His minister.
The children of Israel were not an exemption from affliction but God’s outstretched hand of God delivered the Israelites. The children of Israel came from over four hundred years of bondage, entered into another juncture of affliction; into a giant obstacle that was huge enough for termination of Israel. You can imagine them coming out of that bondage with miracles and favor of God upon them by their Egyptian masters, through the hand of God. It should be expected that nothing would cause them to be moved by fear. The moment they realized a new danger (the Red Sea) in front, and their former masters (Pharaoh and his horsemen) chasing from behind, and there was no turning left or right, they became afraid. The children of Israel instantly forgot to remember what God had done to get them to where they were in their journey. Where you are at this point of your journey does not matter, but He that brought you to where you are is the One that matters. Man owes God by focusing only God that delivers. Without doubt, if God chooses to terminate your journey or to see you through it, no devil under heaven can stop the hand of God.
In the case of the Israelites at the Red Sea, Exodus 14:13 stated, “And Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” The Lord said it, and the Lord did it. What He said to them He is speaking to us. Do you see any that represents the Egyptians coming up behind you, chasing you? Engage Moses response to the children of Israel: 1. Do not be afraid, 2. Stand still, 3. See your salvation (even though it is not at hand, but believe it is there), 4. When you begin to see it, you have provoked His hand, 5. He will do it. Do you believe? If you will hold your peace by engaging Moses’ word to the Israelites, you will encounter same deliverance like that of the Israelites. Trust God that your own stubborn Pharaoh too will be permanently terminated. God is enough to fight your battle.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance from all afflictions that meditates against your life.