FAITH CAPSULE: Good courage is God’s courage.

Numbers13

Courage is the quality of mind which enables a person to face any kind of difficulty, danger without fear. Courage is what we need to access God’s blessings that are already in place for our life. In the absence of courage it is discouragement that will take place. Every blessing which God put in place for us the enemy wants to replace. It takes courage that is rooted in trusting in God to deny the enemy from denying our access ability to God’s blessing for us.
When it was time for the children of Israel to access God’s promise, Moses directed the children of Israel to go and spy the Promised Land. It is written, “Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds;whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.”(Numbers 13:17-20) Moses knew what it takes to access God’s promise as a result he attempted to discourage them from becoming discouraged regardless of what they see when they spy the land. He commanded the spy to be of good courage. Good courage is God’s courage. Good (God’s) courage is what will allow us to see and receive what God has packaged for our life. It is good courage that will allow us to hear and to have what God has promised. Good courage is the vehicle that will bring forth results in every pursuit in our life. Moses knew that without good courage, the children of Israel would not be able to get to where God was taking them. Good courage is seeing positive in the face of negative. As a child of God, Moses knew that God would not promise good and give bad. It is important for us also to see the good in the journey of life where others may see nothing but the bad; to be able to be positive where others are negative. How do you see God’s promises manifested in your life? Based on Moses understanding and knowledge of God, he was able to face danger with bravery. After the death of Moses, God commissioned Joshua. Joshua 1:7, “Only be strong and very courageous…” God commanded Joshua to be courageous and we have to be of good courage.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be constantly and consistently be of good courage.

FAITH CAPSULE: knowing God is living life constantly in obedience to the Word of God.

2 Kings 5:1-5

Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. By virtue of ignorance, many only know about God thinking they actually know God. Just by going to church on Sundays or being very active in the church is not enough to know Him. Also, just by answering to different title in the church is not enough to know God. There more apostles, prophet and every other title in the church today that only knows about God and not know God. Going to church on Sundays could become a religious ritual for you and not Jesus-reality. Above all, knowing God is living life constantly in obedience to the Word of God.
The story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Syria, demonstrates what it means to know about God and not know God. At a time when Naaman needed healing from leprosy he realized the difference between knowing God and knowing about God. He was permitted to go and see Elisha by the King of Israel. Naaman knew he was going to meet a man of God. He had the knowledge about the God of Israel who can get him cleansed from leprosy but he did not know God. In traveling to Israel, Naaman could not get to see Elisha as he expected, but received direction about what he was to do to be cleansed. He was told to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman responded with anger generated from his pride, 2 Kings 5:11, “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.”’”Are you having anger issues like those of Naaman? If you are you need to address your pride first. Pride was the root of Naaman’s anger. Later on, Naaman was reasoned with and went back to follow the directions from the man of God and received his healing, 2 Kings 5:15, “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.’” Naaman was proof that it is impossible for one to know God until one become obedient to his Word. You may only know about God, and if so you need to ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding and fill you with knowledge of His holy name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Understanding that is rooted in listening to the word of God will bring forth breakthrough.

Luke 5: 1-11, Acts14:6-10

A word from God is enough to terminate a life long struggle. When the word of God sound where there is listening ability in place, struggle will be replaced with breakthrough. In time of struggle, the word of God that sound in one’s direction is enough to bring forth breakthrough. Jesus asked and gave an answer to the reason for lack of understanding in John 8:43, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.”Understanding that is rooted in listening to the word of God will bring forth breakthrough over challenges. All that the fisher men which toiled all night without catching any fish needed was in the word of God that sounded in their direction. Jesus sent His word “…Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)  It was a sound of breakthrough from Jesus to the disciples because they had the understanding of what to do after listening to the word of breakthrough.
A man crippled from birth that had never walked before was stranded, with nowhere for him to go without someone helping him. Various words most likely had been communicated regarding his condition as people passed by. This crippled man must have heard words of discouragement and ridicule. It had been a long time since he had heard anything positive from anyone. Does that sound like you? Have you been grounded in one area of life where it seemed there was no way for motion? Have you ever considered what or whom you have been listening to? Would you like to consider a change in what you have been listening to? The crippled man’s miracle came to life when he heard Paul speak. Acts 14:9-10, “This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed said with a loud voice, ‘stand up straight on your feet’ and he leaped and walked.’’ All his life, the crippled man had never heard healing spoken to him. The words that had been sent in his direction were never ones of healing. Psalm107:20, “He sent His word to heal them, and delivered them from their destructions.” The Word will only serve healing for those who will listen and hear it with open ears. The crippled man heard the Word of God through Paul. Not only did he stand on his feet as Paul prayed, but he leaped! You have been grounded for too long. Listening to the word of God is the key to understanding that leads to breakthrough. Listen to the positive sound that comes in your direction. You will end up dancing for the Lord again.

Prayer for today: Pray that agent of listening disability shall not have a place in your life. Also ask that all stagnation will be converted into motion, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is consistent with restoration when there is genuine repentance.

2 Samuel 11, 12

God is a good God. There is no sin that is terrible enough to keep man away from God where there is genuine repentance before Him. Psalm 86:5 testifies, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” Are you asking for forgiveness from man or God? God alone is waiting and ready to forgive us. It does not matter how unimaginable you consider you sin to be, God is ready to forgive. Give no room to excuse, turn to God and ask for forgiveness. Regardless of whom you are or what title you answer to in the church, a failure to go before God and ask for forgiveness is a passage to eternal termination. Adam attempted to excuse his sin before God after him and Eve ate from the forbidden tree. God asked Adam why he ate against His command and the best excuse was, “…the woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12) Adam gave a true excuse before God. However, there is no excuse that is true enough for sin to reign over one’s life.
David sinned against God by taking Uriah’s wife after she had conceived and for engineering the death of Uriah. God sent Nathan to David to unfold the gravity of his sin. David did not debate or excuse his sin, he repented immediately. 2 Samuel 12:13 states, “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.’” God in His goodness and mercy does not overlook sin but will always put away sin before Him to allow for the continuation of a relationship with His children who repent. Repentance does not eliminate the consequences, but it restores relationships back to their proper place with God. David, by virtue of his knowing God, committed an unimaginable sin before God, and he received an inexcusable consequence of his sin before God. He gave a great occasion to the enemy. It is written, “However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely died.” (2 Samuel 12:14) As destructive as sin is, God is consistent with restoration when there is repentance. Is there any way that your deed is giving occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme? Have you considered going before God for genuine repentance? A born again Christian lacking integrity needs to understand his error either by self-evaluation or by a “Nathan” before it builds up to an untimely death.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s mercy upon you according to His loving-kindness; according to the multitude of His mercy.

FAITH CAPSULE: To be spiritually blinded is to become physically blinded.

Psalm 23, Mark 8:22-26

If physical blindness is enough to cause stagnation in the life of man, imagine what the case will be when spiritual darkness reigns in the life of man. Physical or spiritual blindness is enough to reduce man from getting to the center of divine assignment in life. The blind man of Bethsaida has the light of God in his presence, but he does not have sight. Many acclaimed believers are having the Light of God (Word of God) in their presence, many are carrying the Light of God back and forth in their hand from church to church but they are blinded. To be spiritually blinded is to become physically blinded. Jesus, the living Word of God declared, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Many acclaimed believers are having the Light of God and remains blinded. Does that sound like you?  Are you actually following Jesus?  
Mark 8:22, testifies “Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.” Without sight there will be no motion, only stagnation. The blind man was before Jesus and could not move because he did not have what it takes to move out of stagnation; out of darkness. You have the light of God in front of you when you go to church, or to fellowship and when you read the Bible, yet your story remains the same. Your story has not changed and your struggle continues to be the same. If you will do what it takes to gain your sight, then, you will not be in stagnation. Do you wonder what the blind man did to gain his sight? It is written, “So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.” (Mark 8:23) The blind man did exactly what Jesus required in John 8:12, “…he who follows me”. The blind man followed Jesus. Bringing the blind man to His presence gave the blind man the access to beg Jesus and allowed Him to take leadership. Jesus brought him out of his place of stagnation into a new ground. As a result the blind man received a touch from Him and his sight was restored. With light, he gained sight. How have you been following Him? Spending time on His word is making attempt to switch on light and gain sight. Step up your prayer life and follow wherever the Word is leading you. Jesus wants to touch you—He will no doubt touch you. The blind man let Jesus touch him, and he gained his sight.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every route of spiritual blindness.