FAVOR TO STAND< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Esther 3, 4, 5

Haman was a high-ranking officer during the reign of king Ahasuerus. He devised a plot to terminate the children of Israel because their laws are different from the laws of the Land, and they would not keep the laws of the land. For the children of Israel to escape the evil devises of Haman against them, there would have to be someone to take a particular stand on a particular ground for their deliverance to be able to stand. The particular ground was the inner court. Esther 4:11, ÒAll the kingÕs servants and the people of the KingÕs provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.Ó This was EstherÕs message to Mordecai as a reason for her not being able to go and take a stand on a ground that was in place for deliverance. Mordecai put pressure on Esther, and Esther responded by asking for days of fasting that would enable her to go and take a stand of deliverance for the children of Israel. Esther went and took a stand when she was not supposed to. ÒSo it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.Ó (Esther 5:2) It was favor that granted Esther the privilege to take a stand of deliverance on behalf of the children of Israel. When David began to get closer to his ground of break through, his ground of divine schedule king Saul needed someone that could play an instrument for his mental illness. David was the qualified one, ÒThen Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ÒPlease let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.ÓÓ(1 Samuel 16:22) It is all about favor. Esther found favor, David found favor and they both took a stand of breakthrough.  Ask God today for the kind of favor that takes man to his ground of breakthrough. He is true and faithful. That favor to stand shall be yours in Jesus name. Amen.    

NO STRUGGLE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>1 Samuel 16:1-13

God does not and will not run out of mercy except that man will run out of His mercy. After Saul had run out of GodÕs mercy by virtue of disobedience, God called on Samuel to go and anoint one of the sons of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, as king for the children of Israel. At the arrival of Samuel, he wanted to determine by sight the one that was to be ordained by calling for all the children of Jesse. ÒSo it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ÒSurely the LORDÕs anointed is before Him!ÓÓ (1 Samuel 16:6) When God sends you, He will select for you. Samuel attempted to make a selection for God but he missed it when he moved by sight. The LORD told Samuel not to look at appearance or physical stature (1 Samuel 16:7). Let God take you through because He is the one that called you and you do not call yourself. After Samuel had failed by looking at the physical appearance, he now responded to God by not looking but listening for whom God will announce. After Samuel had seen all the children of Jesse he could not complete GodÕs assignment because the one God had anointed before sending out Samuel was not on location. Samuel knowing that God did not make any selection among the children of Jesse that was on location, he now said to Jesse, ÒSend and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.Ó (1 Samuel 16: 11b) Despite the fact that David was not on location, that which belongs onto him could not elude him. In their waiting for his arrival, they could not sit; they were all standing. Today, all that belongs to you will not elude you in the name of Jesus. Where ever you are or whatever the situation on the ground is, they will always wait for you to receive all that God has ordained for you in Jesus name. Anointing is not what is to be struggled for it is for the one that God has called to be. David the last of the children of Jesse did not struggle but in his absence his presence was called for. Pray that you will become what the Lord has called you to be. Every agent of denial or disruption will not have his or her way in your life and you will live to the fulfillment of GodÕs glory in Jesus name.

TORN INTO PIECES< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Genesis 44:18-34

ÒAnd he recognized it and said, it is my sonÕs tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn into pieces.Ó(Genesis 37:33)  When JosephÕs brother took back his cloth with goatÕs blood it was to serve as a deception unto their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. JacobÕs response that Joseph has been torn into pieces was not an understatement neither was it an over statement. Jacob was giving an unconscious, precise and accurate statement of what it takes to become whole and serve to the glory of God. Indeed, in the journey of Joseph, he was torn into pieces. Joseph life was one that was torn apart into pieces in order for him to be made whole for GodÕs assignment in his life. From the time JosephÕs brothers set eyes on him he became a victim of being torn and set apart into pieces. He was stripped of his tunic, the tunic of many colors; the brothers then Òtook him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.Ó (Genesis 37:24) The Òtearing apart processÓ can be grueling and painful but God is gracious. While he was in an empty pit the brothers were feeding themselves by sitting down for a meal. One would have assumed that the ÒprocessÓ was over when he was brought out of the pit but it was just the beginning of his process that would make him for the future preservation to generations. Are you going through a tearing apart process or you can see it taking shape before you? Be rest assured and hope in God. Hope in God cannot be ashamed. Also, get yourself equipped with the word of God, the word is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.Ó (2Timothy 3:16) Joseph was sold to slavery. He then became a confidant in the hand of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard and was later torn apart by false accusation for sexual harassment; he was sent into prison. Joseph, in his journey was torn into pieces and finally was made whole as the head (next to Pharaoh) for the whole land of Egypt. Joseph was torn but became whole to the glory of God. You will be whole if your focus on God is not shifted.

TO BOW AND POSTRATE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 43

ÒAnd they answered, ÒYour servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.Ó And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.ÓÓ (Genesis 43:28) JosephÕs brothers responded to JosephÕs question about their father, Jacob, during their second journey back to Egypt by bowing and prostrating. The dream that got Joseph to Egypt was that the brothers would bow down to the earth before Joseph. As a result of the dream he was sold to Egypt. As it is clearly mentioned above, the brothers did not only bow but they ended up in a prostrate position. You can be rest assured today, as a child of God, every situation that has been ordained to bow but remain forceful against bowing to you will end up bowing and prostrating for you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. They were only to bow but ended up in a prostrate position because they forced too much as a result they paid more than the dream called for. In your situation, the more forceful they were, the more God would take away from them.  The brothers did not just want to see the dream terminated but they wanted to stop Joseph by all means possible. At his appearance to them at Dothan, they said to each other, ÒCome therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ÔSome wild beast has devoured him.Õ We shall see what will become of his dreams!Ó (Genesis 37:20) The brothers thought they had a good plan to terminate the dream, they also ridicule the plan of God by claiming, Òwe shall see what will become of his dreams!Ó Your testimony will be sweet. God in His goodness and mercy will allow all of your adversaries that are mocking you, to be a witness of His miracle just like Joseph and his brothers. JosephÕs brothers did not only see what God did for Joseph but they were dumbfounded, silent and ridiculously embarrassed by their wickedness. Man often forgets that when God was in the business of creating us, it was Him alone that did his job and by that virtue, no man has the power to terminate if God did not terminate. In the race of life, let your enemies run or walk they will not catch up with you, but they will be weary and faint in Jesus name. Concerning your situation, He will respond at his appointed time, He will not be late neither will he be too early. Keep your eyes on Him only God will convert every mockery into miracle on your behalf in Jesus name.

GROUND IN PLACE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 40, 41

ÒJoseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.Ó (Genesis 41:46) God has a ground for you to stand and without getting there you will not stand. Elijah was never mentioned nor referred to in any page of the scripture until he took his stand. 1 Kings 17:1, Ò And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, as the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.Ó Elijah took his stand, he made a declaration that was backed in heaven and manifested on earth. Joseph started his journey at age seventeen and not until he was thirty years of age, he could not take a stand on the ground where God had put in place for him. At the time that Joseph stepped on his ground and took a stand, his story was changed forever. It was a transformation of the journey that started in a pit of lack, a pit of destruction, a pit of termination and a pit of no hope to the Peak of Power in a foreign ground. Your case has not be written over yet and when it appears to be over and no way out, God in His goodness and mercy will make a way for you out of no way if you will consistently remember that you cannot commit great and wicked sin against the Lord. To Joseph, it was a dream journey and it went on and on as if there will not be an end to affliction. However, Joseph got to the ground where he took a stand before the king of the land, Pharaoh of Egypt. As a believer, there will be times of ups and downs but never let the down agent keep you stranded. The story of JosephÕs journey is not fiction, it is a reality and it can be lifting when youÕre down by the punches of this world. Before JosephÕs first appearance to Pharaoh he was an overseer in the prison. His authority was to oversee his fellow prisoners. When Joseph took his stand, and after taking his stand, he became the deputy general overseer of the whole land of Egypt. Until you stand on the ground where the Lord has put in place for you, the journey continues in face of challenges. Ask God to bring you up to stand in the ground he has put in place for your breakthrough.