By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (Hebrews 11:11, NKJV)

Everything we do and accomplish in life requires a form (type) and measure (degree) of strength, which could be spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, inner or financial. For instance, you can’t get up from your bed in the morning without physical strength. And on those days when it seems as if you are carrying the whole weight of the world, you will require not just physical strength but spiritual or inner strength. You need all forms of strength in order to have a loving and successful marriage. A student requires mental strength to pass his or her exams. Financial strength is needed in making wealth and accomplishing capital intensive projects.
The word strength is as important as the very air we breathe. When you have strength, you are able to overpower your oppositions or enemies, just like Samson did to the Philistines. God bestowed enormous physical strength on Samson, so he could save the Israelites from the rule and oppression of their enemies. His strength was physical in nature, visible and dependent on him being a Nazirite. With that strength he was able to kill a great number of the enemies of the children of Israel.
Samson was unable to overpower the Philistine with his own strength, and this was evident after the Philistines cut off his hair and gouged out his eyes. He who was once feared now became their entertainer in the temple of their god. But he prayed to God once more for strength, and He heard him. He defeated his enemies! So, when we think or feel we are incapable of doing things, we should ask for His strength and he will strengthen us in our inner man by His Spirit.
As children of God, we should not rely on our own strength. Rather, we should always draw strength from God whose strength is limitless. God’s word tells us to stand strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, not in our own power or strength but in His power.
David did not rely on His strength when he came face-to-face with Goliath in battle. As a matter of fact, David told Goliath that although he came against him with sword, spear and javelin, he (David) was confronting him in the name of the Lord Almighty. Though Goliath relied on his physical strength and the long list of those he had conquered in the past, yet he became the vanquished.
Just as a woman would need strength to birth a child, we all need inner strength from God to birth great things and fulfil His purpose for our lives. In order for Sarah to birth Isaac when the odds were against her (she was past childbearing age and her husband’s body was as good as dead), she had to receive strength from God. She was able to receive strength because she believed and judged (considered) Him faithful who had promised. She believed that God was able and would do just as He had said and not fail. And God did as He had promised by giving them Isaac.
Despite all the technological advancement in medicine available to us today, I am yet to see or hear of anyone who gave birth at the age of ninety, assisted or unassisted by medicine.
We therefore need to follow the example of these our parents in faith and walk in their footsteps by judging God faithful—capable and able to do what He has promised. When we consider Him “the faithful and covenant keeping God”, we receive supernatural strength to birth the impossible.
Has God given you a promise? Believe Him! Hold on to His Word and watch Him give you supernatural strength to birth the impossible. I see all your impossibilities becoming possible in Jesus name.

I once heard a preacher say, “But miracles are no accidents; they are the deliberate acts of God in response to the desperate faith of men. However, it takes not just faith but Unshakeable Faith – that is, TRUST to move the hand of God to unleash the supernatural.” Whenever there is a manifestation of the supernatural, when seeming impossibilities become possible, we say a miracle or wonder has occurred.
From time to time, we find ourselves in situations that require our having to exercise desperate trust/faith in God because we live in a fallen world, one under Satan’s rule. No human on earth is exempted from the assaults of Satan; everyone faces a period of crisis or challenges in life, and God is not the author of crisis. The scripture says that our enemy—the devil—walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But we are not meat for the devil because we are the redeemed of the Lord. We have been made overcomers because we are God’s children, and greater is He that is in us than he (the devil and his cohorts) that is in the world.
God causes us to triumph always in Christ Jesus. But, for us to remain triumphant and continually experience the supernatural, we need to take Him at His word, just as King Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah did when the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir rose up against them in battle in 2 Chronicles 20. Obviously, King Jehoshaphat and his people were outnumbered. They did not have the military might to face their enemies, so they turned to God for deliverance.
And God answered them by giving them a word through Jahaziel the son of Zechariah. He told them not to be afraid or be dismayed because of the great multitude, as the battle was not theirs’ but His. He further assured them that they would not need to fight in that particular battle, they should just position themselves and be still, and they would see His salvation.
On the day of battle, they positioned themselves as instructed by God. Rather than take up arms and ammunition, they began to sing and praise God based on their trust in what He said He would do- His Word. While they were doing this, the Bible records that God set an ambush against the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. They helped themselves to utterly kill and destroy one another until there was no enemy left standing, except the spoils of war, which took the children of Judah three days to gather.
This is what we call a wonder: enemies that had joined hands together for a common cause turning against one another until they completely destroyed themselves, leaving behind an abundance of good things (spoils) which they had accumulated over a period of time.
As present day believers, bought and washed in the blood of the Lamb, we may not have the likes of Jahaziel who would say ‘Thus says the Lord,’ but we have the sure Word of prophecy, which is God’s Word and His Spirit resident in us. When we are faced with the challenges of life or the assault of the enemy, we can and should always turn to Him and His Word for direction. Hold on to His Word, and whatever he tells you to do, do. And do not forget that you have a powerful weapon, which is praise. In this month of wonders, the enemy that tries to ravage you or your household will be totally destroyed. They will end up leaving you more prosperous financially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, etc., in Jesus name.

Imagine walking along the shores of a beach and suddenly, right before your very eyes, the waters of the deep divide into two distinct parts forming a wall on both sides, with the seabed exposed and dry, and multitudes of people walking across. You will stop right in your tracks with your mouth wide open and check if you are in the right place. You will probably pinch yourself to check if you are in “dreamland” because this is not an everyday occurrence. When extraordinary events happen, we say it is a wonder, a marvel or a miracle.
A wonder can be a person, thing or event. Usually, it is incredible, remarkable, unexpected, unfamiliar, splendid or conspicuous, and often elicits feelings of amazement and admiration. The Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary describes it as “that emotion which is excited by novelty, or the presentation to the sight or mind of something new, unusual, strange, great, extraordinary, or not well understood; surprise; astonishment; admiration; amazement”.
Reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we are given different accounts of the wondrous acts of God such as the creation of the heaven and earth, the sun staying still for a whole day, the fall of the walls of Jericho, water coming out of the rock, manna falling from the skies, water turning into wine, walking on water etc. All these, to the physical senses, seem too marvellous and far-fetched. In spite of the account of creation which in itself is a wonder, for example, men from time immemorial have sought and are still searching for logical reasons to explain how the universe came into being. To the unbelieving heart, it is not just possible to accept that there is an unseen God who has no beginning, and who spoke the earth and everything in it into existence.
However, the greatest of all wonders is the miracle of the new birth—the salvation of mankind. The conception of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to His death and resurrection is indeed a wonder. Even His name is called Wonderful.
When we believe and accept Christ into our lives (we believe He is who He says He is), we become heirs of salvation. And an heir is entitled to inherit and lay claim to all his father’s estates. Being heirs of salvation, we have an inheritance in God and are entitled to all the riches of redemption in Christ, which in turn makes us a sign and a wonder to our world.
We should always keep in mind that we are God’s children, His covenant people whom He has chosen for Himself to show forth His praise on earth. And for us to show forth His praise, people need to see a remarkable difference in our lives compared to the lives of those who do not profess His name or believe.
Child of God, get ready for something new, unusual, strange, great and extraordinary because, this is a month of wonders. What God is about to do in you, for you and through you will be beyond human reasoning or comprehension. He will do awesome things in our lives and midst, all because of the covenant.

So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”
And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:8 (NKJV)

Have you ever found yourself at the crossroads? Have you been faced with various viable alternatives but do not know the precise action to take? It might even seem there are no options but you still need to make a decision. If you have been there or you are there right now, be assured that you are not alone. We all, at various times in life, find ourselves at the crossroads.
The story of David the shepherd boy, who later became king of Israel, is one of the stories in the Bible I find fascinating. It is a story of rising from grass to grace, from being rejected and left alone with nothing but animals at the backside of the wilderness to being favoured and brought to the forefront, to a place of prominence. But his journey to greatness did not happen in a day; it was not without thorns, pains and trials. Irrespective of the position he found himself at various seasons of his life, his attitude, faith and reliance in God remained unshakeable. Quite a number of times, he found himself at the crossroads, where he had to make life-or-death decisions. But, when confronted with such circumstances, he never made a decision without first inquiring from God.
One of those instances was after the princes of the Philistines rejected him and his men from going with them to battle against Israel under the kingship of Saul. David and his men returned home to Ziklag, the city were they had been given asylum, only to find their city had been invaded and burnt down by the Amalekites. The enemies also carried away as captives David’s wives, his children, and the wives and children of all his men. No one was spared.
It must have been very disheartening returning empty handed from a seemingly promising trip. (Remember, in those days people went to war and brought home the spoils of war when they conquered.) David and his men lost the opportunity of bringing home the spoils of war, after they were turned back from fighting. To add salt to injury, they met their city burnt and their loved ones carried away. Every man grieved sorely for his wife or wives and children; the Bible says they wept until they had no strength again to cry. They must have felt despondent and lost all hope of ever seeing their families again, so much so that wanted to stone their leader David to death.
Remember, even David lost his family. Then the men who were supposed to be his friends and followers, people who looked up to him, turned against him. That must have been really heartbreaking for him. But what did he do in response to the situation? He grieved for his family and those of his men, all right, but rose up as a leader and sought direction from his Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). The word of God says in 1 Samuel 30 that David “inquired from the Lord”. This entails asking and seeking God’s face for direction or answers regarding any situation. And God answered David by telling him to “pursue” the raiders. He also gave him the assurance that “he would overtake them and without fail recover all”. Then he pursued the Amalekites, conquered and dispossessed them, and he recovered all that was stolen from him and his men.
God never changes. Just as He was David’s Shepherd in those days, He is still our Shepherd today. It is the duty of a shepherd to tend (take care of), feed, protect and give direction to his sheep. A good shepherd will always go before his flocks. John 10:4 says, “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them….” And God is favourably disposed to us, not because of what we did or merited, but because of the precious blood of Jesus Christ His son. We must abide in Him and heed His instructions to enjoy this relationship to the fullest.
Has the enemy taken away anything precious from you? Why not seek your Father’s (the Great Shepherd’s) face and trust His leading for total recovery of all that has been stolen from you? It is my prayer that you shall without fail recover all in Jesus name.

I am yet to meet a person who has never suffered one loss or the other. In fact, loss seems to be as constant as the seasons and ‘change” itself. It only varies in form and from one individual to the other -the type of loss Mr A suffers may be different from that experienced by Mr B. The famous preacher in Ecclesiastes chapter 3, while expounding on the fact that there is a time and season for every activity under heaven, mentioned in verse 6 that “there is a time to gain and a time to lose”. Losses can be in form of opportunities, the death of a loved one, time, money, material belongings, relationships, business deals, investments etc.
Some losses may seem insignificant, though painful, but easier to put behind us, while some may seem irreparable or impossible to recover from; for instance, losing a loved one or suffering a great financial loss which leaves one bankrupt. Irrespective of the magnitude of a loss, bear in mind that there is absolutely nothing irreparable or irrecoverable with God.
For those who have lost a loved one, you may be thinking: will the person come back to life? Well, though the person will not come back to this present life, but if he or she died in Christ, we will get to see him or her again. Also, God has a way of helping us fill the void they left in our hearts by bringing other people into our lives.
One of the questions that usually overwhelm people dealing with loss is: how do I start all over again or recoup all that I have lost? Looking at the physical circumstances, it may seem absolutely impossible to recover from such losses, but with God, and for those who would dare believe, all things are possible.
Recovering means regaining possession or control of something lost or stolen. And the mastermind of every stolen thing is the devil- be it your health, wealth etc. But we can always recover whatever the devil has stolen from us because we are born of God and have the greater One residing in us, and He has bestowed upon us His very own authority to trample on all the powers of the enemy.
Most of us are familiar with the story of Job, a man who lived during the era of the patriarchs. He lost all he had and had acquired over time (wealth, children and his health), though he was an upright man, a man who feared God and shunned evil. But, at the latter end, he recovered twofold everything he had lost, children inclusive. He also lived to see four generations of his children and children’s children. Talk of supernatural recovery! It was obvious the curtain had closed on him, considering all that befell him, but God gave him a new lease of life and it was as if he never lost anything. Seeing four generations of his children and all he had recovered twofold, it would have looked like a dream -too good to be true, yet indisputable to those who knew his history.
If God did it for Job, He can do it for you too, because He is not a respecter of persons. You may say that was in the time of Job, so it may not happen today; but remember, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. What He did back then, He is capable of doing now. So whatever the enemy has stolen from you, God will restore twofold. He will restore the years the locusts have eaten, and you will laugh and sing for joy in Jesus name.

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. (Rev. 3:7-8 NKJV)

 

At the beginning of the year, God spoke through His servant Pastor Taiwo that the year 2017 is our year of open doors. Also in this month of October, He is re-affirming to us irrespective of our experiences in the course of the year, that it is still our year of open doors.

A door whether open or shut connotes access- it is a portal which provides or restricts access into a place. The Oxford dictionary defines a door as a hinged, sliding or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room or vehicle. Based on this definition, it would be appropriate to say that an open door, is an entrance or access into a place or “thing” without any form of barrier. We can experience open doors in any facet of life; be it in the business world, politics, sports, academics etc.

I see the theme scripture for this month as a personal love note from ourheavenly father, reminding us His precious children that he has opened for us a door which no one can shut in our face despite the smallness of our strength.  Regardless of your experiences, choose to believe and stand on God’s word.

The reason why people put their money in treasury bills and bonds, apart from the inherent return on investment is the guaranteed security of their principal. When you put your money into this government securities, you can go to sleep without batting an eyelid because these bills and bonds are backed up by the taxing power of the government of the nation offering it. They cannot renege on their word or back out and say they don’t have money to repay the investors or borrowers and hence, default on payment.

The word of God has more integrity than the word of any known government in existence. It is backed up by God Himself- the creator of the heavens and earth. He cannot be separated from His word and His word is His bond. Verse 7 of the theme scripture (“These things says He who is holy, He who is true”) affirms that God cannot and will never lie because He is true. Because He is true, He does not have the capacity for lies.

You may be thinking that the year is almost over, and your aspirations for the year will go unaccomplished. Don’t fret, it took God six days to do the work of creation, so three month is too much for God to sort you out.Be rest assured that, He will bring to pass everything He has said concerning you.

It is your season of open doors. I see every doors of limitation crumble before you. Doors of increase, favour, good health, blessing etc. opens before you and no one will be able to close it because God Himself has opened it on your behalf.

Please send us your testimonies; they inspire us to do more. And if you require counselling or want me to prayerfully agree with you, feel free to send me a mail at pastornomthi@tfolc.org.

God bless you.

 

 

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. Job 22:29

What do you do when it seems you have lost it all, when your friends and loved ones desert you intentionally or unintentionally and you feel all alone in the world? I believe we would all react differently due to our personalities and belief system. But it is important to always keep in our heart and remember during the high and low seasons of life that, as God’s children, we are never really alone, even when it feels that way. He has said that He would never leave nor forsake us; He is with us till the very end (this is inclusive of the good times and the bad times). But because we dwell in this mortal body and the renewing of our mind is ongoing, we tend to forget this truth when we are faced with life’s challenges or complexities.

If you find yourself in such a situation, don’t beat yourself down; you are not alone. Bible characters such as Joseph, David, Hannah, Naomi, Moses, etc. felt that way at some points in their lives. It seemed as if they had lost it all but they rose from the debris against all odds to a place of prominence and lifting because God was with them.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and later imprisoned based on false accusation, but he didn’t remain a slave forever. He became the prime minister of the nation where he had lived as a slave and prisoner.

Naomi felt forsaken and asked that her name be changed from Naomi (pleasantness) to Mara (bitter) because of the death of her husband and sons. I can imagine people telling her, just as Job’s friend told him, that all that happened to her and her household was because of something they did or didn’t do. But God compensated her through her daughter-in-law (Ruth) and made her rejoice again.

David fled the land of Israel because Saul wanted to kill him, though God had chosen him and he had been anointed king over Israel much earlier. While on exile with his men, the Amalekites came and raided their base in Ziklag in their absence, and took away their wives and children as captives. That must have been a very devastating experience for David and his men.

The Bible records that all the men wept till they had no more strength to cry and David was blamed for the misfortune. They went as far as wanting to stone him. This must really have been a low point in the life of David. He not only had to deal with the loss of his family and those of his men, but the men whom he had come to love, trust and depend on thought of stoning him. But David did not cave in; in spite of all these, he encouraged himself in the Lord (he must have reflected on and declared repeatedly to himself all he knew about God’s faithfulness and promises concerning him), sought God’s face and received strength to rise up to the occasion by providing direction for his men regarding the recovery of their families. He pursued, destroyed and dispossessed the Amalekites, and recovered all that was stolen by them.

Are you presently going through any situation, which has made you bow your head in shame or left you feeling inadequate and unsure of yourself? Maybe all you want to do right now is throw in the towel or quit the fight. Don’t! Brace up like David did, encourage and continually tell yourself what God has said concerning you and watch Him supernaturally lift you up by turning events around in your favour.

This is your month of supernatural lifting. Your lifting is inevitable and incontestable, so don’t give up by quitting now.