A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

 Memorise: 
And hast made us unto our God kings and Priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelations 5:10
Read: 1st Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Message 
The problem with many believers is that they find it difficult to believe what the scripture says about them. We allow the devil to convince us, telling us that we are not as qualified as God says we are, and that we do not have the ability to do what the Word says we can do. God created us in His own image and gave us the ability to reign on earth. The capabilities and qualities required of us to exercise our priesthood were also given to us. However, many people are not exercising their positions as priests because they do not believe they are priests. They allow the opinions of others to determine how they live; they do not have minds of their own. People commit suicide on a daily basis because they know so little about themselves; they have no idea who they really are. As a child of God, you need to know that every word said about you in the Bible is ever dependable and reliable. It doesn’t matter the circumstances surrounding you at any given time, you must always see yourself as God sees you. Always see yourself in a positive light. Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord no matter what happens. Every morning when you rise up, know that you are a victor and not a victim; there is much more to you than you can see. There is much more to you than you can see. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants, but in the mind of God the opposite was the case.
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:”
Proverbs 23:7
The perception of who you are is crucial to your walk with God. As a royal priesthood, you are an embodiment of beauty, power and royalty. You are an epitome of God’s glory. You are created in the very image and likeness of God. All things created, visible and invisible are under your feet. This is why you need to take your place and not allow your life to be ruined by the devil.
Note however, that you do not have this right and liberty to reflect the image of God anywhere you are, if you haven’t given your life to Christ. Holiness must be a daily lifestyle to you. The nature of royalty as given to you by God must reflect in your appearances and discussion. You can no longer hate those who hate you; you have to show love and forgiveness to those who deliberately do things to hurt you. You have to do according to the instructions in Philippians 4:8:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lonely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there will be any virtue, and if there will be any praise, think on these things.”
It is when you do this constantly that you can become a partaker of the covenant privileges. 
Prayer Point : 
Father, please let your glory never depart from me.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Joshua 22 and Job 38:12-24
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 
HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 
Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand. 
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil. 
Chorus:
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. 
Chorus:
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. 
Chorus.

RECOVER YOUR STOLEN BLESSINGS

MEMORISE
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Psalm 103:13
READ: 2 Chronicles 7:12-14
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : John 17:1-19:16 and Job 33:8-18
Time and time again, we have seen God dealing with us as a father deals with his children. This is because we are His children and He is our father. God has been so gracious to us on many occasions. He will not always punish us without showing mercy, even when it is glaring that we deserve condemnation. There are many of us who have lost precious things due to our rebellion, negligence and carelessness, but our Father is always there to show us mercy and grace. If things are bad and you want a positive turn around, there are steps you must be willing to take to recover all your stolen blessings. God does not want His children to be at the mercy of Satan; the Almighty God is willing and eager to deliver us. You have to first of all acknowledge the areas in which you have given room to the devil, find out the specific area you missed it and seek the face of the Almighty God for restoration. God wants you to recover your lost lands, your lost status and all the beautiful accomplishments that you have lost to the devil. The moment you recover these lost grounds, you must say to yourself that you will never be a victim again. The only way to guarantee this is to keep in constant touch with your creator and the restorer of your blessings. You need to love the Lord like never before. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy might” Deuteronomy 6:5"
You should make up your mind to obey His voice alone in every area of life. Obedience to the Word of God will lead you into a life of fruitfulness. There are many people who look for God when the devil is dealing with them, but as soon as they are fully delivered from the hands of the devil, they stop doing the will of God. With this kind of attitude, there cannot be complete restoration of lost blessings; you have to remain connected to God by serving Him. “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 
God has placed conditions for the restoration of lost blessings and these conditions are not as stringent as what people go through in the hands of the devil. We are expected to change our attitudes and actions in order for God to answer our prayers. We are to humble ourselves before him and be fully obedient to His will; there should be practical evidence of humility and obedience to His word. I decree in the name of Jesus, an end has come to those who have been going round in circles. Every curse over anyone reading this devotional is broken in the name of Jesus. In the Name that is above every other name you are moving out of the wilderness and entering into your own land flowing with milk and honey in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, let my restoration be permanent in Jesus’ Name.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE.
HYMN 
MY FAITH HAS FOUND A RESTING PLACE
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
CHORUS
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.
My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

..........................................WISE SAYING..................................................

THERE IS LIFE IN A SEED SOWN, AS IT IS SOWN IT DECAY IN THE GROUND.
AFTER MANY DAYS THE SEED WILL BRING MANY OF ITS KIND OUT. WHATSOEVER YOU SOW IN THE THINGS OF GOD NEVER GO UNPRODUCTIVE: THE SEED OF TIME, SERVICES, MONEY YOU SOWED IS WHAT YOU WILL REAP ABUNDANTLY IN DUE SEASON:
THEN ISAAC SOWED IN THAT LAND, AND RECEIVED IN THE SAME YEAR AN HUNDREDFOLD: AND THE LORD BLESSED HIM.
AND THE MAN WAXED GREAT, AND WENT FORWARD, AND GREW UNTIL HE BECAME VERY GREAT:  Gen. 26:12-13

DEFENDER OF THE DEFENCELESS

Memorise:
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, So I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Joshua 1:5
Read: Isaiah 49:24-26
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Message
God is worthy to be praised at every moment of our lives. He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our shield and high tower. Proverbs 18:10 tells us that the name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous can always run to at any time and remain secure. The Almighty God is the security upon which one should base his life. These days when there is no nation that does not have its own share of the global security crises, it is certain that unless the Lord watches over you, you become vulnerable to the evil events flying around. God is the only guarantee and assurance of our faith; hence, you can be confident that you will always be delivered even in extreme circumstances. Sometimes, God will allow us to fall into a great calamity before He comes visiting. He does this just to reassure you that nothing is over until He says so. He wants us to have an evidence of His deliverance in our lives for future purposes.
Are you in any problem? Don’t worry, as long as you are righteous, you can be assured that help is on the way. He rules in the affairs of men to deliver the righteous from calamity. It doesn’t matter the magnitude of the problems confronting you, just believe that He is never late. He will stand by you during all the attacks of the enemies. All the lies and ganging up of the enemies against your life may be launched, but you will come out victorious because you have made the Lord your delight. Several times, God will just want to stand by you in order to convince those around you that it doesn’t matter how much the waters the enemies want to sink you in is, His faithfulness will always draw you out.
God is King over all nations of the world. He is mightier than those who are playing god in your life. As we saw His acts in the case of Paul and Silas when they were chained in the prison, the Lord will deliver you from every chain that the enemies have put around you in Jesus’ name.
Deliverance is of the Lord. It is only the Almighty God that can deliver. There is no pastor or prophet anywhere who can deliver. It is only the Almighty God who can deliver us. He saves not once or twice, but all the time. He can deliver today and if the enemy tries tomorrow, He is still on the throne. All you need to do is to hand over all your enemies to God and begin to praise Him. At the end of the day, you will pity your enemies because the Lord will destroy them so much that you will not see the trace that they ever existed. You can see why it is very good for God to be your battle axe. There is only one deliverer from the forces of darkness – the One by whose Name every knee must bow. It does not matter how defenceless you are, the great Defender will fight all your battles in Jesus’ name.
Prayer point:
Every counsel of the enemies against my life shall not stand in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 14:15-16:33 and Job 32:15-33:7
AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.

LIVING ABOVE NATURAL LIMITS

MEMORISE:
Jesus saith unto her, saith I not unto Thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God. John 11:40
READ: Psalm 67:1-7
1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 12:20-14:14 and Job 32:1-14.
The presence of God in a life makes the difference. When you carry the presence of God, you will see the invisible and hear the inaudible. Prior to my becoming a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I realized that with all my degrees and certificates, I was still going through a lot of hardship, but the moment I surrendered my whole life to the Lord, I began to experience the supernatural.
God saw my hunger for Him and He responded to my needs. God is always ready to do great things through the lives of those who seek Him. The moment you yield totally to Him, you will begin to operate above natural limits. Witehout this supernatural ability, you will remain a common man and you will always have common results.
In Acts 2:1-4, after the disciples had encounter with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they began to speak with new tongues which turned them into a class of different people. They began to do exploit. The things they could not do before became very easy for them. They were casting out devils and speaking with new tongues. The Lord was confirming their ministry daily with signs and wonders. The moment you believe God and you allow Him to do His will in your life, you will become a visible evidence for the world to see. Your prayers become easily answered and every fear of
the impossible will begin to give way to boldness.
You will begin to do what you wouldn’t have thought you were capable of doing. This is why I am always conscious of His presence in my life, because if His presence is removed, I no longer exist. God does not want you to remain and operate in the valley. If your eyes are set on the Lord, you will discover that the closer you get to Him, the higher and farther away He is.
When we see the miracles of God around us, it means we are beholding the glory of God. As we study the immeasurable miracles of God as recorded in the scriptures and as seen in our everyday life, it bears record of what God is capable of doing.
One of my daughters got a report from the doctor saying that she will never be able to bear a child. This report was premised on the fact that her womb was too small to nurture a child to the point of delivery, so she had been having miscarriages whenever the pregnancies got to a certain month.
But a medical report is not always God’s report, besides, it is whatever report you believe that will manifest in your life, so my daughter believed the report of the Lord and she was getting ready to see the glory of God. At this particular time, she was pregnant and the Lord kept her till the point of delivery. By the time she was about to deliver, this same daughter whose medical report indicated she will never be able to keep a baby delivered four babies at the same time. There is a user of this devotional, I prophesy into your life; every negative report you are carrying that is making you weep shall be rendered useless in Jesus’ name. If only you can believe in the Word of God, you will experience the glory of God. God dwells in the realms of the supernatural, and as a child of God, you are expected to experience the miraculous at all times.
KEY POINT:
When you follow God nothing will be able to limit you.
AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE.
HYMN 
OH SPREAD THE TIDYINGS ROUND
Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come!
Chorus:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
The Comforter has come!
2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast! 
The Comforter has come!
Chorus:
3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings: 
The Comforter has come!
Chorus:
4. O boundless love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
Chorus.

THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE

MEMORISE: 
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. 1st Corinthians 12:8
READ: Daniel 6:1-3
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
MESSAGE:
One of the gems that made Joshua take over the mantle of leadership from his master was the excellent spirit he carried. Joshua excelled in all matters than most of his age mates and contemporaries. Those who remain in the crowd cannot become excellent in life, because excellence is a private matter, but with a public pronouncement. 
The spirit of excellence will never permit you to do things at a level which others are comfortable with. You cannot be flocking around the multitude and achieve greatness in life and ministry. This is why Jesus was always withdrawing His disciples to Himself at the point of every exploit. 
He did not want them to be carried away with the songs of the crowd. He knew the crowd well and he knew that those who were shouting “hail hail” will be the ones to say “crucify Him” the next day. Excellence is necessary for anyone to become a useful vessel in the hands of the Almighty God. 
Excellence is what releases the gem in a man’s life and makes him the envy of his generation. The spirit of excellence is a crucial requirement for being useful and relevant in the scheme of things. It is what puts you on edge in God’s programme and makes you a formidable force. “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Hebrews 1:9
Exploits in life have never been a function of a higher educational qualification or popularity; it is through the spirit of excellence. When you carry the presence of God, it releases the spirit of excellence in you which in turn gives you the wisdom to access the mysteries of life. 
The presence of God gives you deep insight and wisdom for every difficult situation of life and makes you become a master over situations and circumstances through His presence. You cannot have an excellent spirit and lack understanding. Your level of knowledge will begin to command the attention of all and sundry as we saw when the Queen of Sheba came visiting King Solomon.
Excellence is a goal, so you have to strive for it. Excellence is the attainment of the highest level of perfection in anything you do. It means operating in a class of your own. Those who do things the way others do them cannot become excellent. You have to be willing to go the extra mile. You have to identify your goal and begin to pursue it with vigour. 
Joseph understood this early and it worked continuously for him until he becomes a reference point in a strange land. Daniel understood this early and he focused on it and remained a formidable force in the reign of three kings. The kings were leaving him behind, but the grace of God upon his life made him relevant under different circumstances. 
The spirit of excellence will help you to concentrate on your assignment until you become a standard. However, this spirit can only come from God. If you don’t know God, there is no way you can do exploits (Daniel 11:32). I pray that from this moment, as you surrender totally to God, you will begin to experience the miraculous in Jesus’ name. 
PRAYER POINT:
Father, remove every hindrance on my way to greatness in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
John10:22-12:19 and Job 31:29-40.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE.
HYMN: OH SPREAD THE TIDING ROUND 
Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come! 
Chorus:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come! 
2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come! 
3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings:
The Comforter has come! 
4. O boundless love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!

......................................WISE SAYING.......................................

TO ANY ACT SOWN AS A SEED THERE IS A REWARD EITHER GOOD OR BAD.
GOD HAS REWARD FOR THOSE THAT SERVE DILIGENTLY AND THOSE THAT VALUE SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION IN HIS KINGDOM, BUT THOSE WHO FEEL TO BIG TO OBEY GOD's INSTRUCTION WILL BE REWARDED WITH THE FRUITS OF THEIR DEEDS.

ARE YOU OBEDIENT AND DILIGENT IN YOUR SERVICES TO GOD?