HIS PRESENCE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Jonah 1

The Word of God is life and it is not just a letter. The Word of God is God. When God called on Jonah to go to Nineveh, God did not appear in person. The Bible recorded in Jonah 1: 1, ÒNow the word of God came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.Ó Having heard the word of God he failed to move in response to GodÕs command. The Bible declared in the third verse ÒÉthat Jonah arose and flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORDÓ (Jonah 1:3). It is clear that the word of God is God. As a result of his disobedience, the whole vehicle and its passengers entered into a dangerous storm. Jonah was approached as a result to the trouble on the storm. Despite JonahÕs disobedience he went further and claimed in Jonah 1:9, ÒSo he said to them, ÒI am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.Ó Can you imagine a man that knows the word of God disobeying GodÕs word and standing on the same ground claiming the fear of God in his life? At every time that you hear GodÕs command and you move in opposite direction of GodÕs command, you are heading in the direction of self-destruction. Jonah was heading in the direction of self-destruction. When God gave His command God expects all of His commands to be obeyed and none to be disobeyed. Obeying nine out of ten is the same failure as in obeying one out of ten. Despite JonahÕs claim of the fear of God, he was still in the avenue of sin. Are you operating as another Jonah? When there is a walk away from the word of God, it becomes a walk away from the presence of God. To be away from His presence is to be presentable for the adversary of man. Disobeying God and claiming to be having the fear of God is an error. Let God arise and you will shine for His glory.

PRESERVATION< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Psalm 121

The Psalmist testifies in Psalm 121:1-2, ÒI will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD Who made heaven and earth.Ó Where do you look up to in times of any need for help? Do you consciously lift up your eyes to the hills or are you accidentally looking up? Deliberate and conscious act is a demonstration of understanding. Understanding that is activated is what produces result. Do you know what to get when you look up to the high place where God is enthroned? In looking up, there should be expectation to contact the face of God. The Psalmist is the one that also said in Psalm 34:5, ÒThey looked up unto Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.Ó An encounter with the face of God is what will bring all that you need to travel along the path of life without any agent of the wicked terminating your journey to the expected end. Absolutely, looking up unto God is a meaningful and power packed approach that is not being consciously activated among most believers. Jacob, while on his way after moving from Laban, wrestled with an angel and he gave the testimony of his encounter in Genesis 32:30, ÒSo Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ÒFor I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.Ó What JacobÕs testimony is saying after this encounter is that a face-to-face encounter with God will bring forth preservation. He experienced it and he testifies about it. The face of God is what you need to encounter in this journey of life. An encounter with the face of God will carry you through and you will by pass every agent of enemy in your life. Paul the Apostle prayed in 2Timothy 4:18, ÒAnd the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! The journey is too dangerous for you to take off your eyes from looking up to Him that is above.

NEW NAME< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Genesis 32

Since you have been born, the name that you answered has not been moving you forward and you cannot identify if you are in the same spot. You know that some things have to change in your life before you enter into His divine schedule for your life and you cannot figure what needs to be changed. Jacob had a name change and his life was never the same like when he first started. Jacob means supplanter and for some time in his life, he was constantly exposed to being deceived. Jacob lived by his name and his name was answering for him. What is your name? Does your name makes meaning to where you are or what you are doing at the present stage of your life? Jacob had a name change after his struggle with the angel. It is written in Genesis 32:28, ÒAnd He said, ÔYour name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.ÕÓ He got a new name from heaven and he became registered in heaven while living on earth. Before Jacob could enter into the encounter that gave him a new name, the Bible testifies in Genesis 32:22Õ ÒAnd he arose that night and took his two wives, his two females servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them over the brook and sent over what he had.Ó Having sent all, the Bible confirmed that he was left alone. What is it in your life that you need to let go for now? Whatever you are holding on to does have a need to be sent over. Jacob was left alone for a divine encounter and you need to be left alone for your encounter to have its way. All that Jacob did was send them over for later reunion so there could be a room for his encounter. Position yourself for a divine encounter and you will carry a name that is heavenly generated. JacobÕs name was changed to Israel meaning God strives. He will give you a name that will preserve you for His name to be glorified.

POWER< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 31

When it was time for Jacob to leave Laban the Syrian, the brother of Rebecca, the mother Jacob, Jacob did not let it known to Laban. Despite having two of LabanÕs daughters (Rachel and Leah) as his wives and having made all his wealth from working for Laban, Jacob did not inform nor bid farewell to Laban the Syrian at the time of his moving. JacobÕs excuse for such a move was based on the fact that he heard from God that he should return to the land of his family. Indeed, it was documented that the countenance of Laban was no longer favorable towards Jacob as before. As a result of all the development and by the timing in GodÕs hand it is written in Genesis 31:3, ÒThen the LORD said to Jacob, ÒReturn to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.ÓÓ After Jacob had left, Laban went after him with bad intentions because LabanÕs household idol was stolen by Rachel. With all his bad intentions, God appeared to him in a dream and cautioned him to be careful in his dealing with Jacob. As a result, when he caught up with Jacob, he stated in Genesis 31:29, ÒIt is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ÔBe careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.ÕÓ Whenever God asks you to go or return, there is no other power under heaven that can stand against you neither is there any power that is capable of hurting you in the journey that the Lord has placed in your life. It was God that called Jacob back to return and Laban is not in position to operate against the command of God. Whenever a man is not in position he will be powerless in operation. Concerning Jacob, Laban was powerless. Ask God in your going out and coming in this month that every agent of the wicked will not gain any position to operate in power against your life. Ask Him, He is a faithful God, He has promised us to ask and it shall be given. It is yours to ask for while it is of the Lord to hear your request.

BE STILL < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>AND SEE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Exodus 14, Jeremiah 1:1-12

When God declared to Jeremiah that He has put His words in his mouth all that Jeremiah needed to do and be able to operate the word is to see what is not there as being there. God told him in Jeremiah 1:10, ÒSee, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and To destroy and to throw down, and To build and to plant.Ó What was said to Jeremiah by God is the representative of God Himself. For the word of God to come to be, Jeremiah will have to see what is not in place as being in place. God wants His children to be exercising a creative faith by seeing what is not in place as being in place. The children of Israel in their coming out of bondage needed to break through a confronting roadblock to their promise land. The children of Israel allowed fear to rise and faith to sink. As a result of their state of mind, Moses had to make a move to encourage them in Exodus 14:13, ÒAnd Moses said to the people, ÒDo not be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today you shall see again no more forever. God gave His word to the children of Israel through Moses. The word was with power and it will only work on condition. The condition that makes the word to work and bring forth result is in the ability to see what is not there as being there. Seeing will only be in place when a believer is able to stand still. Fear, distraction, inconsistency and lack of commitment in serving the Lord are among the forces that will always deny a believer from standing still. What is that blessing the Lord created to be running after you, but you have changed position and began to run after such blessing? Where they have told you there is no way, begin to see as if there is way and the way will be there. God has never gone to sleep and He will not fall asleep concerning your situation. Take to MosesÕ advice in Exodus 14:14, ÒThe LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.Ó See well, see through faith that your miracle is at hand.