FAITH CAPSULE: Communicating power in the word of God is the ardent for transformation.

John 1

It is written, “Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:17-20) The same word He sent to them for their salvation from self-destruction is available for whosoever wants to be healed and be delivered from the effects of foolishness. The word of God is power that can never be reduced neither can His word return to Him void without performing that which He came for. John talked about the word, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)God in His questioning identified His word in Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

The word of God is power and communicates power. The communicating power in the word of God is the ardent for transformation for those that are able to receive and believe in the word of God. The word of God cannot be compromised. Compromising the word of God is disobedience. It is disobedience to despise God’s word.
Proverbs 13:13 cautioned us, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.”Despising the word of God is also a demonstration of lack of fear for His commands. Obeying God leads to obtaining the blessing of obedience from God while disobeying God is engaging the curses of disobedience.

Compromising the word is denying self from becoming a build up for God. Jesus is the builder and He stated in Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Are you willing to be built up by His word? As a temple of God, until you are built up by Him, you will not be able to contain what He purposed for your life.

Jesus made an emphatic statement that He will build His church and nothing shall prevail against it. Do not prevent yourself from being built but invest yourself in the word that will build you. Jesus, the word of God is the One that builds and give life abundantly.

Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to find a place in every area of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: As a believer, how often do you feed on the word of God?

Psalm 61

Just as feeding on food demands opening of mouth so feeding on the word of God demands opening of the heart. Waiting for Sunday or reading the word occasionally will amount to little or nothing. What is it that you are giving your ear to? What you give your ear to is what will build you up because whatever you receive will become of you. Give ear to hearing the word of God. Romans 10:17 buttress, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Giving ear to hearing the word of God makes one to be build up in faith.” Take the hearing of His word as a priority and you will testify that you have seen God move by His word. The Lord has spoken, as a believer you need to play your part and receive his word that will build you up for His kingdom purpose.

After experiencing God’s word in its dimension, Job testifies in Job 41:5, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” The ability to hear and see in the word is power to build man up for possessing inheritance among all the sanctified.” If the word of God lacks the capacity to build man up, Apostle Paul wouldn’t have admonished by saying, “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)

One that is built up by the word is one that fears God. In Psalm 61:5, God heard David’s vow and he gave him the heritage of those who fear Him. Paul pointed out that when we are built by the word it will give us inheritance among all those who are sanctified (dedicated to God). What is it about heritage or receiving inheritance among the sanctified? It is written, Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.”” Have you considered having your inheritance among the sanctified? Do not be an acclaimed believer with no substance but for claiming, “no weapon formed against him/her shall not prosper.” Engage the word and become qualified to claim it that no weapon form against you shall prosper. Indeed it is a blessing to become one that nothing forms against shall proper but the condition of qualifying for  such blessings is to engage the word and be build up by the word.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be filled with understand that you may possess blessings encased in His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: No man hears God indeed and doubts Him.

Jeremiah 1

Jeremiah encountered the word: Jeremiah 1:4-5 recorded, “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “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.” Before Jeremiah could become what the Lord wanted him to be he had an encounter with the word of God which located him. The word which went to him built him up for God’s assignment. The same word that identified and called Jeremiah out informed him what he was before he was born. The word of God caused him to begin to see from where he could not see. The word of God prepared him and positioned him into the center of his divine assignment. The Bible documents the word which built him up into boldness in Jeremiah 1:8 stating, “Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you…” The word guided Jeremiah to be bold for God’s divine agenda for his life.
Just like Jeremiah, Ezekiel also encountered the word in Ezekiel 2:1-2, “And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.”  Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.”” No man hears God indeed and doubts Him. Having doubt is the evidence for not been built by the word. Allow the word of God to build you. Before all that was built, Jesus was there in the beginning and there He is forever. Jesus is the Master builder. The same word that brought forth creation is still the same word that is building up those who receive and believe in Him.

It is worthy of note that the same word that created everything is there to give more than we can imagine. It is one thing to know and memorize the word; it is different ballgame to meditate and live the word. Knowing and memorizing the word without practicing what the word says is resoundingly an empty practice that accounts to ordinary religion. It is the word which is meditated on that will cause us to observe and do what the word requires, and there’s no substitute for meditating on the word. The word of God is power and the word cannot fail, but man can fail to have the word work for them.

Jeremiah confirmed that the word is food by his testimony: Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words were found, and I ate them…” The word of God cannot be compromised if you desire for the word to build you feed on the word continuously. Just as there is no substitute for food in order to grow physically, so there is no substitute to the word to grow spiritually.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace which enables man to engage the word constantly and consistently

FAITH CAPSULE: Pride is a prominent avenue to trouble.

Psalm 27

Job identifies what it means to be in trouble stating, “Job stated, “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for troubles come.” (Job 3:26) Going by Job testimony, the evidences of trouble in the life of the troubled ones are: not being at ease, not being in a quiet state of mind and lack of rest. Anywhere there is trouble, confusion will abide and making of wrong decisions prevails. Is there any evidence of trouble in your life? Trouble can come through different avenue that is beyond man’s control like that of Job. However, man is in a position to allow God take charge by resting and hoping on the promises of God. In some cases, trouble comes through man’s pride.

King Herod had no reason to be troubled at the announcement of the birth of Jesus. It is written, “ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2:1-3) King Herod’s reason to be troubled could possibly be a wrong perception and intimidation of the birth of a new King. The trouble that came into the life of King Herod led him to make wrong and confused decisions. Trouble is the root of making a wrong decision and the calling of bad judgment. Herod made an error in judgment and a wrong decision in his attempt to terminate God’s divine agenda. The decision of the wicked king to terminate God’s divine agenda brought to life the way and the unfailing word of God to manifestation as it is written in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.” The trouble in King Herod brought confusion into his life to think he could terminate the King of kings, the Lord of lords. Are you experiencing any kind of trouble?

There is a place in the time of trouble where a believer can hide. The Psalmist pointed out, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5). God is at work on behalf of all who seek refuge in time of trouble. Seek God and trouble will cease.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep you  hiding in times of trouble.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you laying all at His feet or you are bagging it to take it back?

Genesis 32:22-32, Matthew 15:21-31

It is written, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Asking, seeking and knocking demands taking a position to get His attention. However, a good position to engage Him is looking up to Him without having any place to look up to as a backup plan.

Among the best place to look up unto the Lord is at His feet. Taking a position at is feet is compared to making a statement such as, “I will not let you go if you do not answer to my request.” Jacob once wrestled with the Lord and insisted not to allow the wrestler’s departure until He blesses Him. It is good to come to His feet but coming to His feet will not be enough if there is no falling down or laying it all at His feet.

Great multitudes came to His feet and they received healing because in addition to their coming, they were able to lay it all at His feet. It is written in Matthew 15: 30, “Then great multitudes came to Him having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” Before healing was possible, they came and were able to lay at Jesus’ feet all that had been holding them back from their breakthrough miracle. Just as multitudes laid it at His feet, the rulers also laid it at His feet.

The bible documented, “Jarius, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live’” (Mark 5:22-23). Those who went to His feet were constantly demonstrating expectation for manifestation by laying it all at His feet. You have been going everywhere that is named in the Name of God and your situation remains unchanged. In your going are you laying it or bagging it to take it back with you? It is one thing to come and not to lay it down. It is another thing to come and lay it down before Him. Whenever all challenges are laid down at His feet, all shall be laid to rest permanently and it shall not rise. In your going or coming to Him, let expectation begin to reign because it is a demonstration of faith and God is not pleased without faith (Hebrew 11:6). In your going to His feet, begin to lay it down at His feet.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to know and engage that which is right for deliverance.