PATIENTLY WAITING
Psalm 39, 40

Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. ” To be God-less is to be evil-full. Inside of any mind that says there is no God there will be no seeking of God and God is not always in their thoughts. As an acclaimed believer that frequently sleeps before Him, is there any situation that has made you a reproach of the foolish? Prayer is the weapon to every situation. However, if there is any situation that has made you a reproach of the foolish, pray the prayer of King David as stated in Psalm 39:8, “Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.” Ask God to hear your prayer and give ear to your cry. Once, King David shared how he was brought out of the state of mockery, a place where he was made to become a reproach of the foolish. Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.” King David claimed to have waited patiently before he overcame. Waiting will fail when it is not in patience. A waiting that lacks patience is a wasting of time. A waiting without expectation in getting the attention of God is also a waste of time. Is there any area where you are waiting on God in expectation? Are you waiting patiently or you are wasting away? Wait on God patiently and He will attend to you. King David made us recognize that God inclined (to lower or bend head as to give a nod) to him in his waiting. God heard King David’s cry. King David’s waiting delivered him from the horrible pit which represented a situation or condition where there was no way out for him. He also came out of the miry clay that represented a slippery ground; a ground that took away his ability of maintaining firmness in his stand. King David’s waiting yielded positively. He came out of being a reproach of the foolish and gained his footing on the rock to stay. Conscious copy king David and you will be coupled with breakthrough. Also, when you get your breakthrough remember to praise Him with a new song. Trust Him, wait on Him and He will not ignore you but ignite you with blessings.
 
Prayer for today: Deliver me O Lord my God from all of my transgressions and let me not become a reproach of the foolish.

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL
Ezra 1, 4

During the time of captivity of the children of Israel, the temple was destroyed. At the time when the door was opened for the captive to return, the word of God came to manifestation. A pagan ruler, Cyrus the king of Persia was moved as prophesied that a man named Cyrus would issue an order in support of the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 1:1-2, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.” What the Lord has purposed for you will not fail; neither shall it be disconnected by any position of authority. Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” The heart of the ones in authority will be stirred on your behalf for your favor. The heart of the king of Persia was stirred yet the devil did not give up and wanted to have a part or role so as not to make the building of the temple come to pass.  Just as there was an open door for the temple to be built, there were also agents and adversaries, the enemy of progress. As the building progressed the resistance to build also presented itself. This was God’s project facing resistance in the hand of the evil ones and his agents. If God’s project can face such a resistance yours can also face resistance. The adversaries of the children of Israel succeeded as far as making the project of God cease. Ezra 4:24, “Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” The project of God ceased and it was delayed. Are you experiencing delay in any area of your life? The adversaries could only delay but they could not deny the project from getting completed. Your project will be completed. Who can shut what God opens? It is recorded in Ezra 6:14-15, “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.  15 Now the temple was finished…” Are you concerned about any delay? Be encouraged that the same God will complete your project. Be mindful of this, a blessing in delay is not a blessing in denial.

Prayer for today: Ask God to permanently terminate and destroy any adversary that is playing a role in the delay of your breakthrough.

THE IDENTITY OF THE WICKED
Jeremiah 12

One thing is certain and that is, the wicked will not go unpunished. Proverbs 11:21, “Though they join forces,] the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” Throughout the Bible it is evident that being wicked does not activate immediate consequences of sin. It is pointed out in different books of the Bible that the wicked could enjoy as much as the righteous do or more than the righteous most times but the end is where the difference is clear. Are you wondering why the wicked seem to be having it well or you are wondering if you fall into the identities of the wicked? Job asked in Job 21:7-8, “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes become mighty in power? 8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.” Just like Job, many others in the pages of the Bible were curious about the sustainability and well being of the wicked. King David must have been reacting to an act of the wicked when he declared in Psalm 7:9, Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end…” Curiosity over the way of the wicked did not end with King David. The Psalmist also asked in Psalm 94:3 LORD how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?” Once, God pointed out to Jeremiah, “LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? ” (Jeremiah 12:5) God was responding to Jeremiah’s curiosity of knowing why the wicked were prospering. Jeremiah, a prophet of God, was called into proclaiming God’s judgment against the people of Judah for their idolatry, unfaithfulness to the covenant, and their disobedience to the will of God. At a point in time when he could not hold on to the reason why the wicked prospered he went further and asked God, “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper…” (Jeremiah 12:1). Evidently, in the curiosity of Jeremiah before God, it was clear that the wicked ones grew just like the righteous ones; the wicked ones could be happy just like the righteous ones. Is there any way that you have been walking the walk of the wicked while there is nothing that identifies you as wicked? You know yourself and God knows you better. Inside of Jeremiah’s curiosity, the identity of the wicked was spelled out when he mentioned, “…You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:2)  As an acclaimed believer, is the word near in your mouth but far from your mind? Word in the mouth and not in the mind is the full name of wickedness.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every wicked way so that you may be preserved for the kingdom of God.

TRAPPED AT THE TRACK?
John 5:1-9

Promises of God are written all over the pages of the Bible. Above all, to inherit any of His promises every believer of His word will have to be in the right position. In every area of life, being in the right position at the right timing of God is equal to possessing possessions. However, it is not impossible to be at the right position and miss the right of possessing one’s possession. In other words, it is possible for a man to be at the right track in the race track of life and remain trapped.  To be trapped is to remain stagnated in a position or situation where there is no motion. An example of being on the right track and getting trapped can be seen in the life of a certain man with infirmity of thirty eight years. The man with infirmity lay by the Sheep Gate, a pool, just like all the other people that were looking for healing and a way out of stagnation of life into motion. It was mentioned that there were many and different kinds of diseases that were waiting for the move of water, “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” (John 5:4) Many must have been receiving their healing while that certain man’s healing continued to elude him. He was there at the water of healing, the water was there for him but he was not there for the water to heal him. The position of healing denied him while he could not deny the forces that kept him stagnated. In the coming days, weeks, and months God has made available an abundance of grace for every one of His children to posses. In possessing your possession, the position you have taken could fail you like that certain man with infirmity. In your position, rise and do not lay in waiting so that the name of the Lord can be glorified in your life. Thank God for Jesus in the life of that particular man. “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”” (John 5:6) Thank God for Jesus because He came to give us abundant life. In gaining possession there is always an evidence of being at the right position at the right time. In your position, be awake, pay attention, be expectant, and do not allow lying down to deny you your position to posses.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to terminate every agent of adversary that often denies man from receiving from great effective doors that have been opened by God.

TOTAL VICTORY
Joshua 6

What is it that is battling you or what is it that you are battling? Have you turned your battle unto God to fight your battle for you? Any situation that will not allow you to rise when God says arise and shine is an enemy at your war front. God is a great warrior and He is mighty in battle, will you consider turning your battle over to Him? As a child of God, you should not underestimate any battle and neither should you overestimate any battle. The devil has been around over a long time and is cunningly divisive and could make you think that the battle is small. He could also make you think that the battle is too big to fight. All that he wants for you is you giving up instead of giving it up to God. The reason why we should not fight our battle is that, the battle we fight can rise again. However, the battle that God fights on our behalf becomes a total victory and the enemy never rises again from it. For example, when He fought the battle at the wall of Jericho it was a total victory. Before the battle of Jericho, the Bible described, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out and none came.” (Joshua 6:1) Despite the security at the gate, God gave Joshua detailed directions of how to bring the wall down because the wall was Jericho’s defense. With Joshua’s full obedience, the wall of Jericho fell down. It was in God’s war plan that after the carrying out of all instruction, “…The wall will fall down flat…” Falling down is different from falling down flat. Falling down flat was a damage which could not be fixed because God was the commander in that war. Joshua knew what had taken place after the war by stating in Joshua 6:26, “…Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.” Indeed and in truth, just as the curse was released by Joshua so it was when Hiel attempted and failed in his effort to rebuild the wall of Jericho. 1 Kings 16:34, “In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun” How else can you be convinced that when God fights the battle, there is no devil under heaven that can bring it back to life? Let God arise for you so the enemy can be permanently shattered.
 
Prayer for today: Daddy, you are not a partial God and I ask that you bring down flat every wall of Jericho in my life, in Jesus name.