Wear love.

Monday,  October  31st.
Wear love.

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
Colossians 3:12-14(MSG)

Love is a very important ingredient in your spiritual growth. As you learn to love others by demonstrating the unconditional love of God to one another especially the undeserving, we experience spiritual advancement.

How does kindness grow in your heart? When someone mistreats you, respond with good. Do not judge anything unless God has judged it. For instance, in a marital situation, if the husband comes back from work and the wife who also works comes home as well and always decides not to cook saying that she is also tired as well. How should the husband grow with this situation? The Bible says in Romans 12:21, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Instead of the husband to be bitter and start a quarrel which will lead to strife, if he can cook, he should cook for his wife as often as possible. As he exercises this fruit of love unconditionally which may be hard on the flesh, he will find out that he will so grow spiritually and at the same time conquer his wife and win back the submission of his wife.

Remember that love is the true evidence of spiritual maturity. Therefore every time you express love to someone undeserving, you grow spiritually. So, use the imperfections in the character of others to grow spiritually. As you express unconditional love remember that love never fails, it will win.

Instruction.
Please read Philippians 1:9-11 and pray the prayer for yourself.

For further study, read:
Romans 12:9-10, Romans 13:8-10,
Ephesians 4:2, 32.

Doing the Word.
Love unconditionally.

Read More

Minister to the Lord.

Sunday, October 30th.
Minister to the Lord.

“One day as they were worshiping God--they were also fasting as they waited for guidance--the Holy Spirit spoke: "Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do."”
Acts 13:2(MSG)

Ministering to the Lord is important for your spiritual growth and development. You can minister to the Lord by singing in the spirit (in tongues) or in your understanding (in songs) to the Lord. As you minister to the Lord in this way over and over again, God's presence will fill your life strong. Before long as you engage in fellowshipping with the Lord in this way, you will hear Him speak to you.

You can also minister to the Lord in praise all by yourself. Give the Lord a dance celebrating His Name. Note that as you are ministering to the Lord in this way, you are not asking him to do anything for you. You are just giving Him praise. You can also gain prophetic authority by dancing in praise before God.


I encourage you to make out time to minister to the Lord everyday or as often as possible. These spiritual exercises will cultivate your spirit. Worship to God plays a vital part in your spiritual growth and development. During worship the influence and the power of God's Spirit enraptures our hearts and minds. Worship will make and keep your heart tender for the Word of God and helps you to overcome all forms of spiritual inhibitions therefore helping us to experience dramatic change in our character.

Instruction.
Sing in the spirit and in your understanding as you minster to the Lord today.

For further study, read:
Psalm 95:6-8, John 4:23-24, Ephesians 5:17-20.

Doing the Word.
Throughout your day sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord.

Read More

Prayer and growth.

Saturday,  October 29th,
Prayer and growth.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”
Jude 1:20

Prayer is a vital ingredient to your growth spiritually. By prayer here I am referring to praying in the spirit or speaking in tongues. Praying in the spirit will help you make spiritual advancement.

Whenever you spend time praying in tongues, you are building up yourself by creating a platform for another level of spiritual growth. Praying in tongues also helps you to activate your faith to produce supernatural results. This is why you will notice that miraculous ministries are ministries where people are filled with the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues. Even in the orthodox churches, those that are filled with the Holy Ghost and speak in tongues are those that perform miracles.

It is the man that prays that sees. Therefore, if you want to be able to key into your future, spend time praying in the spirit and you will begin to see things concerning your future. 1 Corinthians 14:4a says, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; …” This means that by speaking in tongues you are building up yourself and at the same time you are carrying out repair through the spirit. As a result speaking in tongues is capable of keeping you in spiritual and physical health.


Instruction.
If you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, read Luke 11:9-13 and then ask the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit and the gift of utterance to speak in tongues. Receive utterance by faith, listen to your spirit and then speak forth in other tongues as the Spirit gives you utterance.

For further study, read:
Romans 8:26-27, 1 Corinthians 14:15,
Ephesians 6:18.

Doing the Word.
Pray in the spirit often for all kinds of prayer and supplication.

Read More

Don't neglect services.

Friday, October  28th.
Don't neglect services.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25

To grow effectively spiritually, you must prioritize your attendance to services in a church where the Word of God is taught. Remember that the Word of God is the agent for growth.

In John 15:3 Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” This means that as you consistently hear the Word of God you are been purged and cleansed. So, instead of praying for God to purge you, what you need is to sit under the ministry of God's unadulterated Word and your life will be purged.

John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The word sanctify here means 'to make holy'. This means that holiness is the fruit of your relationship and fellowship with the Word of God. So if you want to truly live a holy life, it comes from your fellowship with the Word of God.

The Pastoral ministry is God's idea and He has given you a Pastor to feed you with His Word. (See Acts 20:28). Therefore, give attention to the Word of God that you are taught because it will give you speed and sanctify you.

Instruction.
Pray for your Pastor; that God will continue to give him utterance and the boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel in simplicity and accuracy.

For further study, read:
Acts 2:46, 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Peter 5:1-2.

Doing the Word.
Don't miss your church services.

Read More

To change your life.

Thursday, October  27th.
To change your life.

“It's your life that must change, not your skin!” Matthew 3:8(MSG)

Your life as a Christian would not change until the following things change;
1. The books you read.
2. The movies you watch.
3. The company you keep.
4. Your daily routine.

Now that you know that your life will not change until the things listed above change, what are the adjustments you need to make so that the new you can be revealed? You have to choose the books you read. Do not just buy any book and start reading, ensure that the teachings there are Word based, compare them with the scriptures, if they do not agree, discontinue reading such books.

In order to guard your heart as a growing Christian, there are some movies that you should not even think of watching because they are spiritual poison and they will hinder your spiritual growth. Also, choose your friends wisely and avoid toxic relationships. Follow a disciplined daily routine. Your daily routine refers to what you do daily. What you do daily determines what you become permanently.


Practice these things and watch your life change drastically.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I receive grace and strength to do what I ought to do and to refuse to do what I should not do, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Peter 1:5-8, Titus 3:14.


Doing the Word.
Be a doer of the Word.

Read More

Beware of evil communications.

Wednesday,  October  26th.
Beware of evil communications.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
1 Corinthians 15:33

I want you to know that just as developing the right relationships with believers of like faith can make you grow spiritually; having the wrong friends can weaken your faith spiritually and even cause you to fall.

There are many things you are doing today because you have good friends. There are also some persons who have found themselves doing things they never thought they would do because they keep bad friends.

People have been lured into stealing because of their friends. People have been lured into an immoral life and immoral relationships because of their friends. Choose the right friends. Anyone luring your heart away from the things of God is not the right friend.

Do not just associate with people because they are around you, you can reach out to them with the gospel, but when it comes to friendship everybody and anybody cannot be your friends because friendship is influence. Choose your friends wisely. Your friends should be people who improve your life positively, not those who will lead you into sin.

Many bad habits are learnt from bad friends and bad associations. Dissociate yourself from all such relationships no matter the cost; it will help you to preserve your destiny in God. You can maintain purity by having the right friends.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you deliver me from wicked and unreasonable men and women, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Psalm 26:4-5, Psalm 64:2, Proverbs 4:14-18.

Doing the Word.
Reject every counsel from anyone contrary to the Word of God.

Read More

True test.

Tuesday,  October  25th.
True test.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:34-35

The true measure of spiritual maturity is evident in your dealings in human relationships. All other exercises including developing a prayer culture and praying for hours is good but we can truly assess how well you have grown to become like Christ when we see the way you treat others.

Spending time with God in prayer and study should produce in you Christ-like character. If the love of Christ is not been expressed through you to others as a result of the time spent in your personal devotions with God, it means you are not growing spiritually.

The Lord said to me, “Son, I do not measure you just by knowledge, but by your relationship with the body.” If you are married, it begins with your relationship with your wife or your husband. Spiritual growth will make you more loving to your wife, and more forgiving too. Spiritual growth will make you more loving to your husband and more submissive too.

If that is not happening then you are not growing spiritually.

Ephesians 5:25 must be felt by your wife as a husband who is growing spiritually, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” Spiritual growth will make you more self sacrificing to your wife.

Colossians 3:18(MSG) should be enjoyed by your husband if you are truly growing spiritually as a wife, “Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor the Master.” So, you can actually access the level of your spiritual growth by your dealings with your spouse if you are married. If you are not married you can measure your spiritual growth by how much of Christ is expressed through you in your dealings with others.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because Your love is abounding in my heart more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 John 2:8-10, 1 John 3:14-18, 1 John 3:23.

Doing the Word.
Treat others with the same love you have received from Christ.

Read More

Christian fellowship.

Monday,  October  24th.
Christian fellowship.

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 3:13

One of the benefits you get from fellowshipping with other believers of like faith is that other believers are able to challenge and inspire you with their lives every day. When you see the way other believers live their lives in truth and sincerity it will spur you to go on in the faith.

Do not isolate yourself as a new convert or growing Christian, associate with believers who are practically living and building their lives with the Word of God without compromise. Let their lives inspire you daily even as you observe their results and hear their testimonies of victories in Christ.

This is why I will encourage you to join a home cell fellowship with other believers in the ministry here or in the home church to which you belong wherever you may be reading this today.


It is your responsibility to find the right friends who will challenge you in the things of God and healthy Christian living, not friends who will weaken the moral of your faith. Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because you are causing me to abound in love towards other believers and towards all men, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 Thessalonians 3:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25.

Doing the Word.
Fellowship with other believers of like faith.

Read More

Your heart condition.

Sunday, October  23rd.
Your heart condition.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
Hebrews 3:12

Our opening scripture makes it obvious that before anyone backslides, they would first lose faith. For anyone to lose faith, they would first lose the Word of God. Faith comes from the Word of God. (See Romans 10:17) Where there is no Word there will be no faith and where there is no faith there will be unbelief.

A heart of unbelief is a heart that is void of the Word of God; such a heart does not hold the Word of God as supreme authority, the Bible labels such heart as evil. If you are going to grow effectively spiritually, you must continually examine the state of your heart. Is the Word of God supreme authority in your heart above all else? If it is not, it means that you are in unbelief. If you are in unbelief, it means that you are on the way to backsliding.

Hebrews 2:1(AMP) says, “SINCE ALL this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.” One of the reasons the growth of the children of Israel was stunted and they could not enter into their rest in God is found in God's word concerning them in Hebrews 3:10b (WNT) “…'THEY ARE EVER GOING ASTRAY IN HEART, AND HAVE NOT LEARNT TO KNOW MY PATHS.'” Therefore if you want your spiritual growth to be effective and dynamic, do not be like the children of Israel whose heart was always going astray but rather keep your mind on God and remain loyal to the Word of God in your heart.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I choose to accept Your Word as final authority in my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Proverbs 18:21, Jeremiah 17:5, Hebrews 10:38.

Doing the Word.
Remain steadfast in the faith.

Read More

Who are your friends? 2

Saturday, October  22nd.
Who are your friends? 2

“… a friend of fools shall become like them.” Proverbs 13:20b (DRB)

Show me your friend and I will show you your future. Our opening scripture shows us that a friend of fools shall become like them. Therefore, unless you make the right adjustments and decision today on the kind of friends you keep, you will end up sharing the same destiny with your foolish friends.

How can you immediately identify that you are in the companionship of fools? Proverbs 14:1(CEV) says, “Only a fool would say, "There is no God!" People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right.” The moment you find yourself in the company of anyone that does not believe in God, the Bible calls that individual a fool, therefore the wise decision to make is to cut off from such companionship. The Bible says such people are worthless, heartless and cruel and they never do right. You should not be in the company of such persons.

Another way to identify the companionship of fools is shown to us in Proverbs 1:7b (AMP), “… fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.” Anyone or group of persons that has no value for the wisdom of God, teaching,  instruction, discipline and those who are role models of Godly wisdom is a  companion of fools. Do not tolerate friendship with anyone that encourages you not to follow godly counsel and integrity. From such turn away because they are the companion of fools they only lead to a sad end and destruction.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you help me to identify every fraudulent relationship that is sabotaging my destiny, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Proverbs 22:24-25, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18,
James 4:4.

Doing the Word.
Separate yourself from the companion of fools.

Read More

Who are your friends?

Friday,October  21st.
Who are your friends?

“People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.”
Proverbs 27:17(GNB)

Fellowshipping with other believers of like faith will also accentuate your spiritual growth and effectiveness. If you are going to grow spiritually, you must choose your friends wisely. Why should you choose your friends? Friendship is influence. You are becoming like your friends and your friends are becoming like you.

The Lord said to me in 1996, “To choose a friend is to choose a future.” Proverbs 13:20(GNB) says, “Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.” The Bible did not tell us if this individual was wise or not before he started keeping company with the wise, but it makes it clear to us that anybody that keeps company with the wise, will become wise.

Your friends determine your future. You cannot rise above the level of companionship you keep. You will only rise to the level of your companions. So if you want to go far, look for friends that are ahead of you in your field and you will rise to their level.

 There is the story of a baby lion that was captured and made to grow up among sheep. As a result he started eating grass like sheep, and when a lion attacks them, he would also run with the sheep, until he discovered that he was a lion. When he discovered he was a lion, he left the company of sheep. The lesson here is that the lion was not able to rise above the level of his companions (sheep) until he discovered his true identity as a lion.

Now that you know your true identity, choose your friends with that understanding.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you help me to identify those you have ordained to influence me and bring out the best in me in my path of destiny, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Proverbs 2:20, Proverbs 9:6, Proverbs 27:9.

Doing the Word.
Choose friends you can learn from.

Read More

You need teaching 2.

Thursday, October 20th.
You need teaching 2.

“Till I come, devote yourself to [public and private] reading, to exhortation (preaching and personal appeals), and to teaching and instilling doctrine.”
1 Timothy 4:13(AMP)

There are many ways through which you can expose yourself to the teaching of the Word of God. One of such ways is by listening to messages that are consistent with the Word of God. Interestingly, the Bible lets us know that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Another way you can receive good teaching is by reading books that are consistent with the Word of God. The Bible shows us that the Apostle Paul was a man who applied himself to teaching from reading books. This is made obvious to us by the emphasis he made when sending for the books to be brought to him in 2 Timothy 4:13(GNB), “When you come, bring my coat that I left in Troas with Carpus; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment.”

Finally, 1 Timothy 4:6(GNB) says, “If you give these instructions to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, as you feed yourself spiritually on the words of faith and of the true teaching which you have followed.” Therefore, I encourage you to feed yourself spiritually and also teach others these same things you are learning from this devotional teachings as a good servant of Jesus Christ.

Prayer.
Dear Father, open the eyes of my spiritual understanding so that I may be able to discover the wonderful truths from your Word.

For further study, read:
Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Deuteronomy 17:18-20, Matthew 13:51-52.

Doing the Word.
You can place an order for messages that will help you grow spiritually or for next month's devotional for you and all others you want to help grow spiritually, simply call or send a text to 0803-382-7072.

Read More

You need teaching 1

Wednesday, October 19th
You need teaching 1.


“They must stick to the true message they were taught, so that their good teaching can help others and correct everyone who opposes it.”
Titus 1:9(CEV)

One other way you can enhance your spiritual growth is by exposing yourself to the teaching of God's Word. Preaching is for inspiration, and you cannot live your life just by inspiration, you must have convictions.

The teaching of the Word of God is what builds convictions because conviction is a product of understanding. Teaching helps you to understand the Word of God because teaching is explanation. Explanation is what leads to understanding, understanding is what produces conviction, conviction produces faith and faith produces results.  

It is the teaching of the Word of God that establishes you and makes you strong in faith. Colossians 2:7(BBE) says, “Rooted and based together in him, strong in the faith which the teaching gave you, giving praise to God at all times.”

The early Church was also consistent in teaching as seen in Acts 2:41-42(GW), “Those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to the group. The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”


Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because my ears are anointed to hear, my mind is anointed to understand and my spirit is anointed to receive Your Word always, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Acts 16:4-5, 2 Peter 3:17-18, 1 Timothy 6:3-5.


Doing the Word.
Expose yourself to Bible based teaching of the Word of God and practice them.

Read More

Make the right investment

Tuesday, October 18th
Make the right investment.


“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”
1 Timothy 4:15

In the realm of the spirit there is what we call trading. What this means is wherever we place the most investment of time, money and materials is our area of value, in other words, that is where our rewards will come from.

Therefore if you are not investing your time, money and materials in spiritual things for your spiritual development you cannot get rewards of divine health, prosperity, protection, direction, etc. because that is not your area of value. So the reason you are not enjoying these benefits is not because God does not like you, it is because you have chosen not to invest in that direction.

For instance, if a couple is praying and believing God for children and yet they do not create the time to be together intimately, they will never have children. In the same vein, the weakness that you are experiencing in your spirit that has produced the sickness, the financial situation and the marital problems will not change permanently until you create the time to make the right investment in the Word of God to build your spirit strong. That is when you will begin to experience permanent changes and permanent victories.

Therefore, you have to invest your time to study the Bible. You have to invest your money to buy Christian materials like messages and books that will help you grow, invest your time to listen to them and read them. As you do these things, your progress and growth will be evident to all.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Doing the Word.
As you invest time in prayer, also invest time in your personal growth by the Word.

Read More

Clues for personal study

Monday, October 17th
Clues for personal study.


“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
 2 Timothy 2:15

One of the clues to know specifically what subject you should study in your personal Bible study for your spiritual growth is your current challenge. What challenges are you having currently? Are you having challenges in your finances? Are you having challenges in your marriage? Whatever area of your life you are having a challenge, turn it into a project and begin to study about it from the Bible. As you find those answers for yourself and begin to practice them, it will cause you to grow spiritually.

If you are going through a lot of spiritual challenges, I will encourage you to do a study on the life of Job. During my study on Job, I discovered that Job's problem was his mouth; he consistently blamed God for his problems. When God showed up to finally answer Job, one of the first things he said was, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” Job 38:2. When God revealed Himself to Job, he discovered that he never knew God so he repented immediately for speaking unadvisedly against God in Job 42:2-6(GNB), “I know, LORD, that you are all-powerful; that you can do everything you want. You ask how I dare question your wisdom when I am so very ignorant. I talked about things I did not understand, about marvels too great for me to know. You told me to listen while you spoke and to try to answer your questions. In the past I knew only what others had told me, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes.”

Instruction.
List out the areas of your life where you are having challenges, take the first one and begin a study on it from the Bible and other relevant Christian materials.

For further study, read:
John 6:27, Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 4:11-12.

Doing the Word.
Instead of complaining to God, increase your knowledge of the Word of God in the areas where you are having challenges because your answers are right there.

Read More

Do you lie?

Sunday, October 16th
Do you lie?

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

If you know you have issues with lying or any other bad habit as a Christian and you want to come out of it, I recommend that you get a Bible concordance and search for all the scriptures in the Bible that has to do with that issue and study the consequences.

For example, one of the consequences of lying is that it will cause a breach in your spirit. Therefore if you are a person that lies often, you will fall sick often. You will not be strong. When I was in the university, I had a course mate that lied a lot and he was always sick. One day, I said to him, “It is obvious why you are always sick.” He asked to know why I said so, and I quoted Proverbs 15:4 in our opening scripture for him.

Lying will break your spirit. When your spirit is broken, it weakens your immunity. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:14(GW), “A person's spirit can endure sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” So it is obvious that it is your spiritual condition that determines your health. Therefore whenever you lie, you are opening your spiritual walls for problems and sicknesses.

You cannot find a healthy person who lies constantly. There must be something wrong with that person's body. You can be treated or prayed for so your health is restored, but as long as you continue to lie again you will break your spirit and you will be sick again. Choose to live healthy, choose to speak the truth always it will make your spiritual growth effective.


Prayer.
Dear Father, I repent from every form of perverseness in speech and conduct. I receive grace to do right and to speak the truth always without the fear of man. May the Spirit of the fear of the Lord mantle my heart as I submit my heart to living and dealing truly always, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Ephesians 4:25, Colossians 3:9, Revelations 21:8.

Doing the Word.
Tell the truth.

Read More

Personal study

Saturday, October 15th
Personal study.

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Acts 17:11

The Word of God is the primary agent for spiritual growth. If you want to grow spiritually you must learn to cultivate a personal Bible study. Your spiritual growth will not be effective if you just depend on the messages you hear whenever you attend services. It has been said that you remember only twenty percent of the message you heard a week ago. You will remember only five percent after two weeks. This is why your personal Bible study is important for effective spiritual growth.

Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Hearing or reading the message once is not enough. Let the message stir you up to study the Bible. Get a good reference or study Bible and begin to study various subjects in the Word of God for yourself, writing down your findings in a book.

When you study the Word of God consistently in this way, you will be better nourished in the Word of God and your spiritual growth will be more stable. This will enable you to have your own convictions in the Word of God.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you for as I hear and study your Word daily, it is producing in my life what it talks about, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 Timothy 4:15-16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17,
2 Peter 1:19-21.

Doing the Word.
Get a good study Bible and have your own study on Bible subjects that interest you to develop your own convictions in the Word of God.

Read More

Be a practitioner.

Friday, October 14th
Be a practitioner.


 “If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them].”
John 13:17(AMP)

When you are not doing what you know in the Word of God, what you have is information from God's Word. But the moment you begin to practice what you know in the Word of God and the Word can be seen in your life, what you have at that point is revelation. Until the Word of God you know becomes revelation to you, it would never change you.

There are many Christians who know a lot about what the Bible says but those things are not manifested in their lives, what they have is information. A Christian who has revelation is a practitioner of the Word of God. In other words, his life is a reference point to the teachings he knows and has received.

James 1:21-25 say, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, I receive grace to be a doer of Your Word always, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Psalm 119:1-8, Ezekiel 36:27, Matthew 7:24-25.

Doing the Word.
When you hear the Word of God, act accordingly and do them.

Read More

Nourish your spirit

Thursday, October 13th
Nourish your spirit.

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”
John 6:27

Just as eating physical food nourishes your physical body, the Word of God nourishes your spirit. Therefore you feed your spirit with the Word of God. So whenever you stay away from feeding your spirit with the Word of God, you are actually starving your spirit.

The reason why a lot of people are crippled morally is because they lack moral strength. Moral strength is gotten from time spent in fellowship with the Word of God. Psalm 119:7,9 and 11 say, “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” It is the Word of God that gives moral strength.

It is the Word of God that will change you; therefore you must consciously train yourself to meditate on the Word of God continuously in your heart.

Psalm 119:97 says, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” As you stay your heart on the Word of God through meditation continuously, you are training your heart to hate evil and to love the Word of God. Psalm 119:113 says, “I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.”


Confession.
In the Name of Jesus, I declare that the Word of God is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. The Word of God gives life to me and health to my flesh. How sweet are your Words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Therefore, I love your Word above gold, much more than fine gold. Amen.


For further study, read:
Psalm 119:97-103, Job 23:12, Jeremiah 15:16.

Doing the Word.
Meditate on the Word of God; day and night.

Read More

A journey

Wednesday, October 12th
A journey.


“When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.”
1 Corinthians 13:11(BBE)

The Christian life is a journey. It is a journey from the babyhood stage to the fatherhood stage. This is why spiritual growth is not automatic, it is a process. What determines the speed of your growth is the intensity of your desire for the Word of God.  

If you are a Christian reading this devotional today, you are definitely in one of the phases of spiritual growth. You are either in the babyhood phase, the childhood phase, the youthful phase or the fatherhood phase.

A lot of Christians remain babes for a long time after been born again because they did not understand anything about spiritual growth. They did not know they had to grow. They did not know the various phases of growth, so they could not examine themselves spiritually to know how much progress and development they have been able to make spiritually.

Now that you know these things, the onus is on you to determine the phase you are in and to make the decision to move on in your spiritual walk and development.

Confession
In the Name of Jesus, I declare according to my faith in Proverbs 4:18 that my path is the path of the righteous and it is shinning more and more, unto the perfect day. Amen.

For further study, read:
Psalm 84:7, Psalm 92:12-14, Proverbs 4:18.

Doing the Word.
Examine your character and your faith to know which phase you are in.

Read More

Fatherhood phase

Tuesday, October 11th
Fatherhood phase.

“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. …”
1 John 2:13a

The final phase in spiritual growth is called the fatherhood phase. At this phase of spiritual growth, you are not just celebrating victories, you are celebrating spiritual discoveries. At this phase you have attained a depth in God that is beyond just a mere knowledge of Him.

The greatest revelation you can ever get from God is the revelation of Himself to you. At this phase, the Father is your obsession. He means everything to you. He means more to you at this phase than all the victories you have attained in Him.

This was where the Apostle Paul was when He said in Philippians 3:9-15, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”


Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you give unto me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of you, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Luke 10:22, John 17:3, 1 John 5:20.

Doing the Word
Always press on for more of God.

Read More

The youthful phase.

Monday, October 10th
The youthful phase.

“… I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the Evil One.”
1 John 2:13b

One of the phases in spiritual growth is called the youthful phase. You know you are in the youthful stage when you begin to experience victory in your life. All your weaknesses are now been overcome by you. You are now beginning to exercise your victory and dominion in Christ.

At this point all the weakness you were having in the babyhood and childhood phase has been overcome by you. In this phase, you are no longer struggling with smoking, drinking or any other vice. You are now living a morally upright life; victorious over the flesh and the senses.

1 John 2:14b says, “… I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” In the youthful phase of spiritual growth, you are strong and stable in Christ. You also have the Word of God abiding in you always even as you live in victory over the wicked one.


In the youthful phase, satan cannot oppress you anymore, instead you are the one casting out devils. In this phase you have come to understand your victory in Christ and also know that all devils are your subject. You are living in the victory of the sons of God as seen in 1 John 5:4 which says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Confession.
In the Name of Jesus, I declare that I am strong. The Word of God abides in me. I have overcome the wicked one.

For further study, read:
Ephesians 6:10-17, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 2:1.

Doing the Word
Keep on exercising your faith in your victory in Jesus Christ.

Read More

Don't remain a child.

Don't remain a child.
Sunday, October 9th

“NOW WHAT I mean is that as long as the inheritor (heir) is

a child and under age, he does not differ from a slave,

although he is the master of all the estate;”
Galatians 4:1

If you are not able to function in your authority as a

Christian, it means you are a child spiritually. Children

are not able to function as masters because they are under

aged. This explains why some Christians are still subject to

sickness and diseases. Some of them are sense ruled;

controlled by their bodies. You ask them, why did you not

fast? They answer; it was because I was hungry. They are

sense ruled.

Galatians 4:3 says, “Even so we, when we were children, were

in bondage under the elements of the world:” Are you in

bondage to anything as a Christian? The Bible reveals that

it is only children who find themselves in bondage to the

elements of the world. If you are still bound to alcohol,

immorality or any other vice or bad habit, it is because you

are still a child spiritually.

So how do you break out of this phase? Acts 20:32
says, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the

word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to

give you an inheritance among all them which are

sanctified.” Psalm 1:1-3 say, “Blessed is the man that

walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in

the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law

doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree

planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his

fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and

whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, teach me to number my days that I may apply my

heart unto wisdom, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
John 8:31, Galatians 5:1, Ephesians 6:14.

Doing the Word
Prioritize your time daily in the Word of God.

Read More

What is your routine?

Saturday, October  8th
What is your routine?

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he

went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there

prayed.”
Mark 1:35


If you want to grow spiritually, then you must have a

routine. This means that you must have a daily schedule or

plan of spiritual activity which you must practice every

day. It is those who have such a routine that make great

spiritual advancement. Do not live your life anymore without

a spiritual routine for growth.


Anyone that is going to make an impact in this life,

especially in the lives of others must have a routine. There

are some people who have a routine of one book every week.

Some others have a routine of one book every month. What is

your routine?

In reading the Bible, some people have a routine of five

chapters every day. Some others have a routine of ten or

twenty chapters every day, etc. If you read forty chapters

in the Bible every day, you will finish the Bible every

month. If you read ten chapters every day in the New

Testament, you will finish the New Testament every month.

If you do not learn to begin to cultivate a routine right

now for your spiritual growth, after a while, your spiritual

growth will be stunted.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you strengthen me with might

according to the riches of your glory by your Spirit in my

inward man, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Psalm 5:3, Luke 6:12, Ephesians 6:18.

Doing the Word.
Develop a daily routine for your personal devotion with your

heavenly Father.

Read More

Children in Christ

Friday, October  7th
Children in Christ.

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a

child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put

away childish things.”
1 Corinthians 13:11

Another phase in the process of spiritual growth is the

childhood phase. The word ‘child’ in our opening scripture

is from the Greek word 'nepios' which means childish in

thinking. Children are without mental and emotional

maturity. One of the ways to identify spiritual children is

in their speech; the way they talk, the way they reason or

their level of understanding and the way they think.

Other examples of childish things can be found in 1 John

2:12 which says, “I write unto you, little children, because

your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.” This means

that sins are childish things. Therefore, the little

children are written to, to let them know that their sins

are forgiven. If you are still struggling with sin, it is

evident that you are a child spiritually.

who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you

belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith.

I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not

ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, because

you still live as the people of this world live. When there

is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another,

doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by

its standards?”

Instruction.
Read Galatians 4:19 and pray that Christ be formed in you.

For further study, read:
1 Corinthians 14:20, Galatians 4:1, 1 John 2:1-2.

Doing the Word
Put away childish things; jealousy, quarrelling and the

works of the flesh.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3(GNB) say, “As a matter of fact, my

friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people

Read More

Babes in Christ

Thursday, October  6th
Babes in Christ.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that

ye may grow thereby:”
1 Peter 2:2

Yesterday you learnt that spiritual growth is a process. In

that process it is important for you to learn that there are

various phases. One of the phases of spiritual growth is the

babyhood stage which is very similar to physical growth.
   
The word 'babes' in our opening scripture is from the Greek

word 'brephos' which means an infant. This refers to a

newborn baby. Just as physical babies feed on milk,

spiritual babies also feed on the milk of God's Word.

Hebrews 5:13 says, “For every one that useth milk is

unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.”

How do you know you are a baby spiritually? We see the

characteristics of spiritual babies in 1 Peter 2:1,

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and

hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” The

Amplified Bible puts it this way, “SO BE done with every

trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit

and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy,

jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind.” If

you find any of these characteristics in you, it means you

are a spiritual baby. To come out of any of these

unacceptable bahaviour, it is important for you to feed on

the Word of God and be a doer of the Word of God.

Prayer.
 Dear Father, I ask that you strengthen me with might

according to the riches of Your glory, by Your Spirit in my

inner man. I ask that you strengthen me to do what I ought

to do and to refuse to do what I shouldn't do, in Jesus'

Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Galatians 5:19-26, Titus 3:3-8.

Doing the Word.
Go over the characteristics of spiritual babies again, if

you find any one in your life, lay them aside and grow unto

perfection and good works.

Read More

Growth is a process.

Wednesday, October  5th
Growth is a process.

“And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18(AMP)

Spiritual growth is a process. For instance, if you got born again today, you do not suddenly become spiritually mature tomorrow. It requires a process in the Word of God for you to become spiritually mature.

Our opening scripture shows us that as we continue to behold the glory of God in the Word of God we are constantly being transfigured into the image of Christ in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another.

Therefore one of the evidence of spiritual growth is change. In other words, there will be constant transformation in your character and conduct by the influence of God's Word on your spirit.

You can actually examine yourself by your character and conduct to know if you have actually grown spiritually. Are you talking differently from the way you use to? Is your character more like Christ now? Examine yourself and then be willing to make the necessary adjustments by practicing the Word of God daily.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding even as I apply myself to the tutelage of your Word; that I might walk worthy of You, pleasing You in every way, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of You, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24, James 1:22-25.

Doing the Word
Sincerely examine yourself and decide on the adjustments you need to make for your spiritual growth this month.

Read More

Consistency in the Word.

Tuesday, October  4th
Consistency in the Word.

“For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. ”
Hebrews 5:12-14(AMP)

Spiritual growth requires consistency. It requires habitual discipline. For instance, in physical growth you are required to cultivate a certain level of consistency and habitual discipline; this is why you have to eat food everyday to grow your body and to develop physically.

In the same vein, you have to eat spiritual food every day. Spiritual food for us refers to the Word of God.

As it is required for you to eat physical food everyday for you to grow every day, it is also required for you to eat the Word of God every day; hearing, studying, meditating and practicing the Word of God for you to grow every day.

Instruction.
Read Galatians 4:19 and pray that Christ is formed in you today.

For further study, read:
Isaiah 28:9-10, 13, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

Doing the Word
You can read 1&2 Timothy a chapter a day beginning from today. On Thursday 13th you should  finish both books.  

Read More

Desire the Word

Monday, October  3rd
Desire the Word.

“Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than

bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from

God's mouth."”
Matthew 4:4(MSG)

What food is to the body the Word of God is to the spirit.

The body feeds on physical food while the spirit feeds on

spiritual food. Therefore, it means that it takes more than

bread to stay alive as seen in our opening scripture because

man is not only physical.

Having this understanding that you are more than a body, and

that you need a steady stream of the Word of God to stay

alive, I encourage you to make a decision today to give

attention and priority to your spiritual development.

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It is not measured by how

long you have been a Christian. Spiritual growth requires

intelligent, intentional spiritual practices. You may have

been a Pastor or a Deacon for a long time; it does not mean

that you are growing spiritually. The intensity of your

desire for the Word of God is what determines the speed of

your growth. This was why after I joined my home church as a

new convert many years ago, in a short while I was

counseling and ministering to those who had been born again

before me. Why? The intensity of your desire is what

determines the speed of your growth.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that you grant unto me the Spirit of

wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of

you, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Deuteronomy 8:3, John 6:63, 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

Doing the Word
What book are you going to read this month to aid your

spiritual growth?

I recommend ‘Growing up spiritually’ by Kenneth Hagin and

‘Welcome to God’s Family’ by Kenneth Hagin.

Read More

The essence of man.

Sunday, October  2nd
The essence of man.

“But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the

Almighty giveth them understanding.”
Job 32:8

From yesterday's devotional, you learnt that you are a

spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body.

With your spirit, you contact God because God is a Spirit

(John 4:24). Your spirit is the place of God consciousness.

You serve God with your spirit as seen in Romans 1:9 which

says, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in

the gospel of his Son, …” Your soul is the place of self

consciousness. Your body is the place of world

consciousness.  

The quality or condition of your spirit is what determines

your character. The quality in your spirit is determined by

the life in you. This is why it is important for you to be

born again. This is because until you are born again, you

cannot have God's quality of life (Zoe) in your spirit. If

you do not have zoe in your spirit, you cannot live the God

kind of life or demonstrate the character of Christ.

When you are born again, you become a new creature, renewed

after Christ to demonstrate the character of Christ. The

Bible says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath

before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Confession.
In the Name of Jesus, I declare, I am God's [own] handiwork

(His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew]

that I should do the good works which God predestined

(planned beforehand) for me to do [taking paths which He

prepared ahead of time], that I should walk in them [living

the good life which He prearranged and made ready for me to

live]. Amen.

For further study, read:
John 3:3-6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:10-17.

Doing the Word
Step into your day today conscious of God's life and ability

in you empowering you to do His good pleasure.

Read More

Grow spiritually

Saturday, October 1st
Grow spiritually.

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18

In this special edition of 'A Word in due season' we will be looking at something very important. We will be examining the subject ‘the dynamics of spiritual growth’. Dynamics refers to a pattern of a process of change, growth or activity. Spiritual growth is the development and cultivation of the human spirit through the Word of God and other spiritual exercises.

Man is not a body. The Bible shows us that man is a spirit. Man is a spirit, he has soul and he lives in a body as seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So many people are only conscious of their bodies so they give all their attention to the development of their bodies to the detriment of their spirit. It ought not to be so. I want you to know that you have a responsibility to grow spiritually. The process of spiritual growth is activated from the day you get born again; from then on you must continue to feed your spirit strong with the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2(GW) says, “Desire God's pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation.”

In this month's devotional, God's pure Word will be coming to you that will help you grow in your salvation. Therefore if you are not born again and you are reading this devotional today, I encourage you to pray the prayer of salvation below for a fresh start and to begin the process of spiritual growth in your life.

Prayer of Salvation.
“O God, I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe He is the Son of God. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ died for my sins. I believe that You raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day for my justification. With my mouth I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord, I take Him as my personal Saviour. By my faith in the blood of Jesus, I believe I receive the washing away of all my sins. By my faith in the Name of Jesus, I believe I receive eternal life into my spirit. Jesus, come into my heart, make me a new person from this day forward. Amen.”

For further study, read:
1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Philippians 1:6, Jude 1:24-25.

Doing the Word
Give the Father thanks for your salvation and decide to prioritize your spiritual growth this month.

Read More