HEARING AND HEARING
Joshua 3: 9-17

It is written in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Isaiah 5:13 also mentions, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” Manifestly, lack of knowledge sent the people of God into captivity. Knowledge has its source in the hearing and understanding of the word of God. When hearing of His word is backed with obedience, it becomes impossible for failure to have a place concerning what is heard from Him. Whatever is being heard clearly, constantly and consistently will determine how you get over forces of destruction. Also, it will circumvent one from getting into captivity and it will create a way of escape from captivity. Indeed, hearing and hearing of the word of God is by every means a great asset to growing in knowledge. (Romans 10:17) The word of God is true and when a believer is true in his or her walk in the word of God then the word will work. What are you constantly hearing? After the journey of about forty years and having heard so many times from God through Moses, the children of Israel had to continue to hear in order to be able to continue in their journey. For every believer to arrive safely at their final destination on the journey of life, to be absent or to take vacation from hearing the word is a valid route to termination. At the point of crossing the Jordan River, God gave Joshua directions that the children of Israel had a need to hear. Joshua called them in Joshua 3:9, “So Joshua said to the children of Israel, ‘Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.’” A clear and compelling direction was laid down for the children of Israel when Joshua stated, “Come here and hear”. It is important to always go to where God’s direction is, but it is even more important to also hear. If you have been going and not hearing it is incomplete. In the next verse, Joshua pointed out to them that it is what they heard that will give them the knowledge of what God was about to do. Joshua 3:10, “And Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites.’” Begin to spend more time in the word of God. Make hearing from Him your music day and night. 

Prayer for today: Father I ask for your deliverance over every agent or forces of distraction that has been coming in the way of my hearing from You.

BECOME HIS COMMANDER
Joshua 1

Joshua 1:1 – “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: ‘Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.’” Moses, the servant of the Most High God, completed his divine assignment as ordained by God. After Moses, a new leader in Joshua was unfolded. Joshua needed to fit into big shoes. Without God’s intervention, there would have been no way for Joshua to step into Moses’ shoes. The Word of God that came to Joshua was a word of command to move forward and not to be discouraged. God alone is the Commanding Commander who can never miss it in His given commands. For every man that listens and hears His command, it is impossible for the obedient one not to become a commander in the hand of God, the Commander. It is written in Joshua 1:10-11, “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”Right after Joshua heard from the Commanding Commander, he himself became commander of the people of God. Is there anything that is denying you from hearing His command concerning your new assignment as a leader in your place of job; as shepherd that is shepherding the sheep of God? Hearing from God and obeying His command in every area of life or in every direction where the Lord has planted your feet is what will make a difference. In regard to how you proceed from where you are now into where He is taking you, operating as a commander in control should be directly rooted in your obedience to His command. It is impossible to receive a command from Him and not become a commander. God is a faithful God and His command will never fail you except that you fail to take to His command. It was testified of Joshua that he feared the Lord and he served the Lord in sincerity. In the fear of God, inhabit the wisdom to be obedient and not fall out of His command. Be a success of the position He has blessed you with by walking in the word of His command.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His command to sound in your direction. Ask also for His command to reign and rule in every area of your operation.

A KNOWING EDGE
Daniel 1, Acts 9:1-22

The failure in how we respond to the challenges around us is a pointer to the fact that the wisdom from above is missing. Also in situations where wisdom is not missing, it is rather being used remotely instead of consistently. It is stated in Proverbs 4:7 that “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” Having wisdom and understanding will constantly lead you to having a knowing edge over every confronting challenge that comes in the way of life. This kind of wisdom does have its source. We are made to understand it in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The word of God cannot lie and neither shall His word fail from now till everlasting. As an acclaimed believer, your challenge remains or continues to be persistent and it seems there is no end in sight. Prayer seems to be flying against the roof and support from every side seems to be running out like water going down the drain. Have you sincerely waited on Him to be able to hear from Him about what has gone wrong? Without doubt with wisdom and understanding, gaining a knowing edge will bring peace over every confronting challenge. The wisdom of God is all over the pages of the Bible and it is there for anyone who will approach it and draw from it. What then can be a solution to your challenge? Is your challenge a self invented one or one that is outside of your control? 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.” Which of the two do you represent? Are you one who love God or one who is called according to His purpose? It is always worth it to search the Scripture and measure ourselves with men and women who have passed in the word. Evidently, Daniel’s love of God was clear when he “…Purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with wine…” (Daniel 1:8) Daniel was a young man in captivity yet he did not renounce his God but rather served with love. Paul, the apostle, was called. He was in all his ways against the work of God in Christ Jesus. At the time of his calling by Jesus, he was on his way to do havoc in Damascus. The life of Daniel and Paul was with insurmountable challenges that are beyond comprehension. At the end of it all, we know it through the Bible that all worked together for good for both Daniel and Paul. Search yourself: is your challenge outside of your control or self invented?

Prayer for today: Be pleased, O Lord my God, to deliver me; make haste to help me.

DIVINE PROTECTION
Numbers 22-24

The children of Israel, while on the course of their journey out of the bondage of over four hundred years and on their way to the Promised Land, had a stopover in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho. (Numbers 22:1) The stopover did not settle well with Balak, the son of Zippor. Balak was afraid of the population of the children of Israel. Balak under the influence of fear, “…sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: ‘Look, a people have come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once; curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” (Numbers 22:5-6) Balak and his agent, Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, got the wrong people to attempt their curse. The children were only on track with the One who brought them out of bondage. The children of Israel had no idea whatsoever that the hand of God that was upon their life had become a headache for any other group of people. Often times, our enemies charge at us without us knowing that they are charging at us because of the Lord’s doing in our life. Balaam knew better enough to consult with God before responding to the request of Balak. In Balaam’s request, “…God said to Balaam, ‘You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.’” (Numbers 22:12) Whoever is blessed of God, no man can curse. The children of Israel were blessed of God and it didn’t matter if they knew what was militating against them or not because the enemy could not prevail. Balak did all within his power to get Balaam into cursing the children of Israel, but God did not permit the move to get them cursed. Just like the children of Israel, when we do not know how enemies are fashioning against us neither the kind of weapon that is in place against us, God is definitely not asleep concerning our protection. Are you on course with the word of God? Are you walking in line with His command? God is faithful to honor His word. The Psalmist testified in Psalm 33:18, “Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.” God is true to those who are true to His word and He will bless the ones He chooses to bless. He is the unquestionable God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to keep you in protection against known and unknown forces that are militating against your destiny.

PROVISION PROVIDER
1 Kings 17:1-16

In every area of breakthrough, allowing fear can possibly be a hindering factor. The case of the woman of Zarephath demands close attention in order to gain understanding of how fear can deny a breakthrough. The Zarephath woman was approached by Elijah. At the time she was approached, there was no indication of any prior knowledge of this Zarephath woman to Elijah. He approached her requesting, “’…Please bring me a little water in a cup that I may drink.’ And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’” (1 Kings 17:10-11) Evidently, the woman of Zarephath only had just enough for herself and her son to eat because it was a time of famine in the whole land. In her sincerity and honesty, she responded to Elijah’s demand by stating that she only had enough for herself and son to eat and die; meaning that after they ate, there would be nothing coming forth. Elijah did not hesitate when he responded to her. “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’”(1 Kings 17:13-14) The encouraging word of Elijah was not to allow fear to deny her from obeying the word of God. Fear would have provoked doubt and doubt is the agent of denial. The woman of Zarephath responded well to the word of Elijah. How often have you unconsciously allowed fear to give way to doubt and doubt to deny your obedience? The Zarephath woman had no good reason to trust or respond to a stranger in the name of God. Just like the Zarephath woman, you also do not have any reason responding to a stranger in the name of God. However, we do have evidence that when means of provision seem to be over, He gives provision in a new and meaningful way. In response and full compliance to Elijah, the Zarephath woman, “…Went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.” God is beautiful for situation. Trust in Him that nothing forms against you, not even a deceiver, shall prosper. In time of lack, do all that is within you in the name of God for your neighbor and God will not overlook you.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God, only you can help me to increase in love offering to others.