(Isa 54: 1-3) Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited

Many remain small from the start of their life till the end. It is my prayer for you dear reader that you will not remain small in your life.
Earlier this week, I read the story of a Nigerian man who at 40 was still a gate keeper. He had failed at almost everything. He didn’t even have a school certificate and couldn’t use a simple laptop at forty years of age. If you met him, you would have just said “A fool at forty, probably a fool forever” It looked like his opportunities were now retired. But God never finishes with any man who does not consider himself to “finished”. Within the space of just 9years, this man travelled to the US, enrolled in the University, obtained a Masters and capped it with a PhD. He had one of the highest paying jobs by US standards and now travels the world to tell his story to inspire others. All of these happened within the space of 10years- ten short years! He became a remarkable success all within just 10years.
Anyone can change his life if he really care deeply about growth and change.

But first, what does it mean to “Enlarge”?
Enlargement refers to growth. It means becoming bigger. It means to aspire and reach higher heights than average men. To enlarge means to evolve and become a better version of yourself so that you can fulfill the lofty aspirations of God for you at creation. And this is why in Isa 60:1 He instructs you child of God to “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
Anyone can turn the tide of his own life if he believes and take the steps. Anyone can shine if he is willing to do what it takes.
It is Ok to start small in life. But it is an error to remain small till death. As the book of Ecclesiastes popularly referred “It is an evil disease”
I have come to realize that there are a few things that consistently keep people down making them very small throughout their lives.

The first cause of life-long “smallness” is being unserious with life itself.
Life is a serious business. Life is a battleground. Life is a race. But some persons approach life with a lackadaisical attitude. Some young people believe that they would always be young. They do not care how they spend their youth and by extension; their life. They do not bother to be first in anything. They strive for nothing and labour for nothing. They are content once they get an average score. They do not care to build a career or own a business. They do not even care to build a house when they have money flowing.

Listen friend, people who are too content with the average hardly ever amount to much. They hardly ever move forward. People who are satisfied with the little they have or complacent hardly ever enlarged.

Stale or poor skills.
The bible speaking in Proverbs says Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men Prov 22: 29. Whatever you are doing in life if you remain at the level of yesterday’s knowledge you would never go past yesterday’s victory. Every new level requires a new skills set. The problem of some persons who once tasted success is that they think the skills they have is sufficient for a life-time of success. Never! No one skill can take you through multiple layers of success. A critical requirement for growth and enlargement is skills. With all the Grace of God on the people of Israel. Uncircumcised Philistines led by Goliath taunted them for several days without anyone to respond because they lack the skills for war. It took God to bring in a skilled man who had been trained in the deep sides of the forest by his experiences with the wolf and the lion. Now, David was to be promoted as king to an entirely new realm he needed to pass another skill test with Goliath. No one ever enters the palace without passing hard examinations of life. No one ever passes those examinations without first building extremely valuable skills.

A life of mediocrity
Mediocrity is cheap. Excellence is scarce! If you really want to enlarge your portion, subscribe to excellence. Many people want to do things like everyone else and get a different result. They want to serve their customers poorly like every other Nigerian business but they want to make much more money than others. They want to make average input into their career and academics but wish that their Pastor’s prayers would just catapult them to the MD’s position. It doesn’t work like that. If you want a lion’s share, you need a lion’s mentality and you need to do what lion’s do. Lion’s hunt. But remember the words of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.””

Dear Friend, if you want a life that is progressive, give it all it takes. If you want a successful life it would take you some stretching. It would take sweat and blood. It is impossible to do well without perseverance, dedication and hard-work. Don’t be that person who sleeps in church morning, afternoon and night without taking action.

To really enlarge your portion you need to take massive action. It is the last four months of the year already, what will you do differently? Take action right now. Stop waiting for your change. Stop actionless prayers. Stop waiting for your Uncle or your Brother. There is no saviour anywhere. The Saviour you have been waiting for is you.
Arise. Shine. Stop taking excuses from yourself. Stand up and live your full life. Claim your territories in business. Claim your territories spiritually. Enlarge your life. Enlarge your business. Enlarge your career and enlarge your portion. The set time is now.

Happy new month.

Ps 40: 1-3
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

Waiting is a universal human experience. However blessed you maybe, we all are waiting for something. If you are not waiting for a better job, you are waiting for your first home. If you are not waiting for your first home you are waiting for a child. Your own waiting could be centered around growth in your ministry. You may even be waiting for a spouse. Whatever it is we all have one thing to which we look to God for help. Whatever you may be waiting for, I have come to announce to you that you waiting time has come to an end.

Some things are easier to wait for than others. Kickoff is easy to wait for when you’re tailgating but some things are harder to wait for, like the birth of a child. Sometimes, it is far more difficult to wait at an advanced age for a marital Partner particularly as a woman whose biological clock is ticking really fast.
Today, I am writing to encourage anyone who is or who has been waiting on the Lord for the fulfilment of a promise. That waiting is now over. If you have been praying about a situation and it has not yet changed, fret no longer. God is here to turn things around in your favour.

When we struggle, we end up angry, bitter, hurt, pained and sad. So rather than worry about it, God tells us to do this: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 NLT God is big on thanksgiving. He really does want us to thank Him in all situations. Thanking God regardless of where we are is simply telling Him that we trust Him. As inheritors of the promise we wait in thanksgiving.

So how do I know God is stepping into your boat at this time to still the storms of your life and bring your long nights of waiting to a definite end? Why now? Why not three years ago? Why not last year when you really needed His divine intervention? The first thing to know is that God’s time is always perfect. Besides, it is written that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11a NIV.
God is always working behind the scenes in our best interest. When God sorts it out at his appointed time, it can never be anything less than beautiful.
Hear what the Lord is saying to us now: “I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now I will cry out like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.” Isaiah 42:14 KJV . God is simply telling us that He will give all it takes to come and rescue us. He will not wait any longer. He is putting an end to the problems and challenges. He is bringing utter destruction to every symptom that is ravaging our bodies. He is charging forth in his wrath to completely wipe out every enemy of our progress. All those wishing to truncate our destinies will be crushed and heard of no more.
He goes further to tell us this. “I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:15- 16 KJV. God is coming to frustrate all the plans of our enemies and make them useless and unproductive. God is bringing new opportunities to us and He will lead and guide us through. He is bringing clarity in the place of confusion. He is coming to take away every pain and discomfort that we have been dealing with. He is coming to see to us and see to our needs.

This is not the time to complain about anything but to start thanking and praising God for not keeping silent. The case is settled. The battle has been won. God has given us victory. “The LORD will march forth like a mighty hero; he will come out like a warrior, full of fury. He will shout his battle cry and crush all his enemies.” Isaiah 42:13 NLT
Are you waiting patiently for God, patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to wait with the right attitude. While waiting, you should still believe. The Egyptians thought they can overpower and overthrow the Israelites at the embankment of the red sea, but God admonished the Israelites, saying “the Egyptians you see today, you will see them no more”.

As you′ve waited on God for the fulfilment of his promise for your life, it is my sincere prayers for you that shortly you will have the reason to sing and rejoice.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

Happy New Month and welcome to the Second Half of Year 2024. Your Celebration cometh in Jesus name.

(Gen 13: 14-15)
14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”. These are the immortal words of Helen Keller the American legend who was both blind and deaf. There are men who have eyes but who lack sight. That would not be you in Jesus name.

Having sight is more than just having eyes. It is having the capacity to make meaning of what is seen. You see, when a man is intellectually retarded, he would only see men as log of woods. It happened in Mark 8 to that man who had just been healed by Jesus. He had a blurry sight.
Now, many people have vision that is blurred by the gains of today. Many people make judgements based on what they can see today. Many make a choice of job based on what is on offer today. Many abandon a glorious endeavour for a less demanding engagement because of the immediate gains. Placing too much focus on today will mislead a man. What will always matter more is what the implications of today’s choices are on the outcomes of tomorrow. How will the choices of today turn out tomorrow? Unfortunately, we have no capacity to know tomorrow.

So how can we keep a focus on the future that we do not know? Impossible right? That’s true. That is why we need more than ourselves to fulfil the future that God has given to us. The Bible says “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
There is no better way to understand the future than by befriending the custodian of the future himself- Jesus. Jesus is able to show you what the future holds. He has the capacity to beautiful your future, give you some insights into your future and if needs be re-make your future. Yes, He is that powerful. You cannot afford to live your life on guess work. You sure need him.

Many people already know Jesus. By privilege they have access to secrets and mysteries of the future and in some cases they even know what exact steps they need to take to fulfill the future but they still do not fulfill it. They still miss the glorious future that God has carefully prepared for them. So, what are the things that distract men from the beautiful things that God has destined for their lives?

First is the failures of the past. You see, if a man suffers too much, he can become so used to suffering that he would judge anything that lacks suffering as a product of the devil. If a man lacks too much, he can become so used to lack that he would reject any opportunities to live in plenty. The children Of Israel were exiting Egypt and they had just gotten on the road to Canaan the promised land. God had told them about the glory that awaited them in Canaan. But a slight inconvenience hindered some of them from entering to Canaan.

Second is inconsistency. When Jesus was praying at Gethsemane that the sorrowful “cup of calvary should pass”, He was with Peter, James and John. He specifically requested their prayers while He went a little further so He could be alone to pray. By the time he returned, they were snoring. They hadn’t even prayed thirty minutes. In particular He said to Peter “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14: 36) Jesus prayed all night in that place. The intensity of his prayers made his sweat as thick as blood. It was a very agonizing time in the life of Jesus. He even prayed that the cup would pass but He was quickly reminded that it was all part of His destiny. He prayed that God’s will be done. I believe that the prayers of Gethsemane released virtues unto Jesus to bare the pains of Calvary with grace and earn victory. I believe were it not for the intensity of the prayers of that night He may have failed in the last minute like Peter. What was the product, Jesus left that mountain to fulfil his glorious destiny after which according to Phil 2: 9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In the contrary, Peter left that place to fail one of the most important tests of his Christian life because he slept away the grace that could have recovered him.

You see, once there is a beautiful future ahead of you there must be obstacles placed on your path to fulfilling it. The question is “will you be committed enough to stay the course”? because it would not be easy. Very often there would be that defining moment when you are expected to either cave in or strongly hold out. What will be your response in that all-important moment. A glorious future will always bring some pains in the moment.

The last thing is the lack of discipline. Brethren, please note that “It is not every open door that is God’s door” I dare to say that “Some open doors are the devil’s detour from God’s plans”. It takes intentionality and discipline to stay in the very centre of the will of God- not around it but in the very centre. When Joseph had the favour of Portiphar’s wife he could quickly have concluded that it was his best chance to escape slavery and return to his father’s house. But that was not God’s plan for him. In fact, the plan of God still had a jail sentence ahead. I am sure he would have asked himself- how can God reward my fervency with a prison sentence? Couldn’t He just show the authorities that Portiphar’s wife was lying so I can at least be released for staying faithful to God?
But God does not work in a straight line. No! That is why you need discipline to stay doing the right thing and always.

As you go ahead into the second quarter of the year, I wish you a very clear vision and in addition to it accelerated speed so that the plans of God for your life can quickly come to fruition.
Happy new month of April.

Ex 14: 15-16
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward; but lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Isaac Newton states in his law of inertia that an object in motion tends to stay in motion until acted upon by another force. And also that an object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by another force. Satellites that orbit our earth in outer space keep on moving around the earth at the exact same speed because in the vacuum of outer space there is nothing to slow it down. It will keep on going just as it is going until something else makes it move differently. Here on earth we constantly have other forces acting upon our motion, forces like gravity or the friction of moving through the air. But if you take away air and you take away gravity, objects stay perfectly motionless unless something else, like a rocket engine, makes it move.

So often faith can work that way too. If our life of faith stays sitting at rest without any movement forward, it is absolutely going to stay that way unless acted upon by another force. Sometimes God comes and pushed our faith in directions we were not expecting. There is a partnership of God’s Holy Spirit placed upon his church. There is a part of this calling to follow Jesus in which we are given the task of faithful obedience.

Perhaps there is an act of faithful obedience sitting right before you waiting for movement? Waiting for you to step up and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you to take a life of faith that may be at rest forward. And once you start moving in faith. Isn’t it amazing how the Spirit of God pushes and guides to keep that movement going? All it takes is the next step, whatever that is for you.

Many times, we are held back by excuses. Many times we are held back by the thoughts of the many obstacles that might exist. Sometimes we don’t even know for sure whether those excuses exist. The preacher speaking in Eccl 9: 7-10 says “10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” Life is a gift and the best use of it is to use it for something that outlives life itself. Do not sit idling around.

As we read the text above, you see the great bias of our God for action. He said to Moses, don’t wait. Move forward. In spite of challenges, move forward. In spite of failures move forward. In spite of back stabbing, move forward. This was Moses who came under frantic attacks from the very people he laboured to rescue from 400years grip of the oppressors. They had started to gang up and were blaming him for the Red sea in front of them and Pharaoh and chariots behind them.

Dear Reader, God understands your frustrations and heartbreaks but He wants you to move on still. Don’t wallow in your losses. Don’t stew in your disappointments. Get up. Get to work. Your time is limited. Use it productively.

Happy new month.

Acts 2: 1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

There have been many revivals in history. I would talk about two. One was a global phenomenon and the other shook Africa.
The Azusa Street Revival was a historic series of revival meetings that took place in Los Angeles, California. It was led by William J. Seymour, an African-American
preacher. The revival began on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915.
On the night of April 9, 1906, Seymour and seven men were waiting on God on Bonnie Brae Street, “when suddenly, as though hit by a bolt of lightning, they were knocked from their chairs to the floor,“ and the other seven men began to speak in tongues and shout out loud praising God. The news quickly spread; the city was stirred; crowds gathered; services were moved outside to accommodate the crowds who came from all around; people fell down as they approached
The recorded miracles happened from April 1906 to Nov. 1909. The glory of God inhabited this former warehouse and stable in the early years of the twentieth century, releasing miracles of healing 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week, for 3 1/2 yrs. Missing limbs grew where there was none, eyeballs filled in empty sockets, cancerous growths fell off, and lives were restored as the Shekinah Glory filled the building.

Life magazine and the USA Today have listed the Azusa Street Revival as being one of the top 100 nation impacting events of the 20th century. The Azusa Street Revival unleashed Christianity’s “next wave” growing to over 500 million adherents world-wide
William J. Seymour was the son of slaves, blind in one eye, self-educated, and a black holiness preacher, how unlikely it was for someone like that to lead a church in 1906 America let alone become the leader of a global revival.
As the Lord said in 2 Chr 5: 13-14 “A cloud covered the mountain and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai; (Ex. 24:17).When Solomon’s Temple was being dedicated, the house of the LORD was filled with a cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God; (2nd Chron. 5:13-14).”
So was it at Azusa.

In 1930, in Oke-Ooye, Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria there was another revival
The 1930 revival is renowned as the event that sparked the beginning of pentecostalism and the main apostolic move of God in Nigeria. As the popular Azusa Street Revival of 1909, was to the United States of America, with William J Seymour, as the man at the centre of it, and the Welsh revival of 1904, with Evan Roberts at the centre, so also was the revival of 1930 in Oke Ooye, Ilesa Osun State of Nigeria, with Apostle Ayo Babalola at the core of it.
There was an ongoing Ilesa Apostolic Council Conference meeting which was intended to resolve some conflicts bordering on doctrine and style. The venue turned to a revival meeting, and when the hall was no longer comfortable, the meeting shifted to an open field air crusade, where men and women from all walks of life assembled daily for Prayers, healing, deliverance, and blessings. One day administrative meeting was turned to weeks of revival-meetings, where God used a non-delegate member to the conference, Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola to heal and cure hundreds of lepers, blind people, and lame persons. God had never been a respecter of persons, and he takes delight in announcing His name (Jehovah) even through the least-expected persons. People traveled from neighboring cities and countries to receive healing at Ilesa.
Several people were healed through the power of prayer amid evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The revival lasted about 60 days and it is regarded as the greatest revival ever in Nigeria. Faith Tabernacle of Nigeria later invited the Apostolic Church of England in 1931 to form an Association that lasted until 1939.
Revivals are channels for the strong demonstration of the power of God has can be seen in both instances in Azusa and Oke-Ooye.
But how can men stoke the fire of revival?

First, hunger!
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isa 55:1)
David speaking in Ps 42: 1a says
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
The fire of revival will always be the product of a deep inner thirst for God.

Second, pray for it.
In the text above, we see that the fire of the Pentecost only came down after the apostles gathered in the upper room praying for days. The fire of revival will never fall on a cold arena. Even the fire in Oke-Ooye came down where the saints were gathered in prayers. The Azusa revival likewise. The fire of revival is such a precious resource God does not dispense it wastefully.

Lastly, wait for it.
Even though we pant and desire revival, it is still the prerogative of God to give revival. He is a faithful God. He would always honor the genuine desire for revival but you must never be in a haste. You must not be like Demas
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia (2 Tim 4;10)
Many Christians move on so quickly when they wait on God a bit. Don’t be like Demas.

It is my prayer for you that the fire of revival will visit you and your household in this season of prayers in Jesus name.
Happy New Month.

1 Kings 18: 30-39
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”
34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.
“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

Altars are places of worship and they are places of WAR!

Altars are places where battles are fought, won or lost.

Altars are places where mysteries are invoked and destinies impacted.

Altars are not just symbolic they are definitive- they determine outcomes- of life and events.

Altars are places of encounters. In John Chapter 4, the Bible spoke of the Samaritan Woman who was at Jacob’s well in Sychar to fetch water. Much of her life she had known sorrow. Plenty failed marriages and even her current husband was no more than a concubine. She was tired. But it was at the Well of Jacob the symbolic place of worship for all Samaritans since the days when Jacob dug the well that she had her encounter. At the end of that encounter Jesus elevated the life of that woman and solved her sorrow. He gave her limitless access to rivers of living water. Her long nights of loss and sorrows was over. It all happened at an altar- the place where Samaritans worshipped. That day Jesus quenched her thirst permanently. He said to her “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 13b and 14)

Altars are places where the promise is unveiled and fulfilled.
In Gen 28 Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. When he got to Haran, he slept through the night. God appeared to him in his dream and in an elaborate revelation He shared with him the promise. God said to Jacob “I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather, Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. I will give you the land that you are lying on now. I will give this land to you and to your children. You will have as many descendants as there are particles of dust on the earth. They will spread east and west, north and south. All the families on earth will be blessed because of you and your descendants. “I am with you, and I will protect you everywhere you go. I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done”.
But guess what, brethren, all the while when God made all these life-changing promises Jacob slept. Just so unbelievable- Jacob slept all through the night. I do not understand how a man can use a stone as a pillow and in the midst of such deep encounters slept through the night. He woke up to say “The Lord was in this place but I did not know”. It was not until then that he consecrated Haran as a place of worship and then made a vow. Unfortunately, nothing changed. On that altar throughout the night Jacob slept away his change. I pray for you today dear reader on the day when it matters the most; and on your altar of change may you not sleep the sleep of death. Jacob went from that place to the house of Laban– a superior con man. He cheated him silly. It was first the robbery of a legitimate wife and then that of his labour.
But thank God for a God of second chance. Jacobs’s second chance came on another altar. It was in Peniel on his return back from Laban’s house after multiple unpaid labour. On this second night, he was wide awake. He wrestled with God and with man. He said to the angel of his encounter “I will not let you go unless you bless me”. And he did. On that night, on that altar in Peniel he changed the name of Jacob from “the con man” to Israel “the inheritor of the promise”. It was not until that incident that fruitless labour departed from the life of Jacob. I pray for you today dear reader “May you not sleep away on your altar of change”.

Altars are places of change of name and change of story.
Change does not happen on altars without a fight. There would never be a change of story and a change of name without wrestling like Jacob experienced.
In 1 Kings 18, it had been three and half years since Elijah sealed the heavens because of the idol worship instituted by Ahab and the rebuilding of Jericho. Now, the famine was severe in Samaria. After these years, it was time for Elijah to judge the prophets of Baal and institute a new reign in Israel. It was going to be a contest of the gods and the Living God.It was a contest to prove who really is God and worthy of the worship of men.
Elijah gathered the prophets of baal, four hundred and fifty of them, raised a new altar to the Lord and in one day slaughtered everyone who questioned the authority of the Almighty God. I am praying for you today dear reader, God will judge every single person who is fighting the supremacy of Heaven in the affairs of your life. But do not forget a new altar is required for your fresh victory as you go into this new year. That new altar will enforce a dispensation of loss and judgement for your enemies and enforce a regime of total dominion for you. That new altar is to be erected by a new dispensation of prayers and worship.

Altars are places of worship.

Altars are places of prayers. Get ready for a prayerful 2024 to fully realize the promises of 2024. Don’t sleep away your victories like Jacob initially did.

Happy new year 2024.
It shall a Year of Divine Shift with evident progress and Winning all the ways with Celebrations in Jesus name.

Gen 41: 14; 40-44
14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
40Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph′s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 44And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

In the book of Ruth, Elimelech, Naomi and their two sons left Judah for Moab. Things were hard in the land of Judah so they sought greener pastures abroad.
Ruth 1:1-2
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

Their sojourn in Moab was a disaster and ended very badly. They sought greener pastures abroad but all they found was misery, loss and death. Elimelech and his two sons died mysteriously leaving behind Naomi and her two daughters in-law. She eventually returned to the land of Judah with one daughter in-law who cleaved to her and refused to let her go. That daughter in-law was Ruth and she ended up getting married to a Jew named Boaz. Although the story ended well for Naomi and Ruth but it ended very badly for Mr Elimelech and his two sons. They sought success but ended up experiencing tragic failure in a foreign land.

There is a mystery of being in the right location, at the right place, pursuing the right cause or objective. There is something supernatural about being exactly where the Lord wants you to be. There is a supernatural release of power, grace, wisdom, and favour when we are in the right location in God’s will for our lives. You must understand that there is a place, a physical location that the Lord wants you to live, raise your children, practice your craft, run your ministry, do your business and work. The safety, prosperity and increase promised by the Lord is supplied in the place that He has instructed you to dwell.
Like Elimelech, a man can lose it all if he refuses to stay within the instructions of God for his life.

In Gen 14 above, we read the story of Joseph. Joseph illustrates to us what God is capable of doing with a man that stays within His instructions. Joseph had been arranged to be sold into slavery and that plot was a success. He suffered the misfortune of lustful attention from his boss’ wife. He ran only to later be indicted. He interpreted dreams in the prison so much that his gift announced him.
I pray for anyone reading this message, wherever you may be- what the enemy meant for evil, God will turn it all in your favour in Jesus name.

Genesis 26:2-3 tells the story of Isaac.
“And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father.”

The Lord revealed himself to Isaac, Abraham’s son. He WARNED him NOT to go to Egypt. He showed him WHERE to go and thrive. Many people do not listen to divine instructions or warning. They choose to do what they want, live where they like and pursue whatever objectives they desire. When God warns you not to go somewhere, not to live somewhere, not to pursue a certain cause of action, you should pay attention and obey. There are countries on the planet you are not permitted by The Lord to live in no matter how affluent they may be. The kingdom is not about accumulating material things like the heathen who do not know God. The kingdom is about yielding our lives to God to impact the world and change the lives of those who come in contact with us.

At that time Egypt was the richest nation on earth. If you wanted to escape famine, poverty and financial hardship, Egypt would have been your very first choice. Isaac had made plans to go to Egypt to escape the famine in the land, but God had other plans for him. He was cautioned not to go to Egypt. That wasn’t where the Lord wanted him to thrive. Egypt may have been good for someone else but it wasn’t right for Isaac. The fact that your friend traveled to a foreign country and prospered doesn’t mean God wants you to do the same. You should be careful to seek clarity with the Lord in prayer before you sell your property and abandon your present location or country.
Isaac sought the Lord and the Lord instructed him to stay in a particular location and pursue his business as a farmer.

Dear reader, as you go into 2024, if there is one thing that would be incredibly valuable, it would be knowing the exact expectations of God for your life all through the year. Believe me sincerely, it would bring you a whole life of ease.

The bible records that Isaac sowed in that land and received a hundred fold in the same year of harsh and extreme famine. That is the beauty of God’s positioning. That is the beauty of being repositioned according to instruction. This incredible agricultural yield happened in the midst of a famine. For someone reading this message, I am trusting God to position your dwelling away from lack and problems into his abundance. As believers, it is your responsibility to seek the Lord in prayer, to align yourself with his will, to listen to his voice in your heart until you find clarity and when you do, to obey his instructions as he guides you into the location of your divine assignment. It is in that location that you will align yourself to God′s will for your business, ministry and calling; it is in that place that you will thrive, blossom and fulfil your kingdom assignment.

_1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him._

The value of a promise is a function of the speaker of the promise. In this world, there are men and there are men. When some men talk you can go to sleep because they will honor the word even if it is at the cost of their lives. But when some other men pronounce a promise they carry no weight at all. They can renege on a promise just because it rained heavily or it was a sunny day. Our God is not like that.
Proverbs 23:19 says “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
There are three things that make the word of our God of particular consequence.

First is the Ability of our God.
No one can give what he does not have. Recall the story of the exorcists who; trying to mirror the spiritual exploits of Paul in casting out demons said in Acts 19 to evil spirits “...We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” Interestingly, the Bible calls them “Vagabond Jews”. By definition, vagabond means “impostor”, not born of the presumed father. In truth, that was who they were. They were claiming the brotherhood of the Kingdom when in fact they had no identity in Heaven. Our God is not like that.
By proofs again and again; by proof documented in medieval times and now, our God has proven His capacity to do what men cannot do.

The Integrity of our God
It was Alan Kooi Simpson a United States Republican Senator representing Wyoming who served from 1979 to 1997 that said “If you have integrity nothing else matters. When you do not have integrity nothing else matters”. The integrity of God is unquestionable. Even the integrity of those who follow in his steps is solid.

The story of Peter as x-rayed in the above scripture is unique. It has been a whole night of fruitless trouble and Peter being now exhausted was washing his boat and nets and looking to take some deserved rest. They spent all night but did not get anything. By training they knew that the best time to get a decent catch was in the night. It was now morning. Jesus is asking at an unusual hour that they make one more try. Jesus is asking after their very best efforts had been expended for them to make one more try. Jesus asked after they had applied skill without outcomes to apply “faith”. See, skill is great and you should get skills. But the best progress in life are not often the direct products of skills.
Often they are products of grace. To be clear, grace is Jesus staking his integrity to qualify us beyond our skills. That was the whole story of Peter.
And lastly, the love of God God speaking through the mouth of Prophet Isaiah in Isa 49:15 says “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”

When I think about the love of God it makes me shiver. God sent His only begotten son to the world to die for mankind in hope that mankind would take advantage of Calvary. And I ask, what if all men reject His offer? What if no one repents? His only begotten son would have died in vain. God took a pre-emptive risk. That’s a depth of love no one can explain.
These three reasons above makes it impossible for God to fail whenever he says a thing.
Paul speaking to the Roman Church says in Rom 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Dear friend, if there was anyone who knew God at close range Paul did.
As this new month unfolds I challenge you therefore to hold on strongly to what you have heard Him say to you. He is not a son of man. He cannot lie. He has said it emphatically- even though it is November God is making it your own January. The implication of that just in case you do not know is restoration of time in all of its dimensions. Men say that time is the only resource in the world that once lost can never be regained- not with God.

Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus three days late, in spite of that defining lateness, when he got there, he was still right on time. He did not just reverse the death of Lazarus he restored time unto him (John 11:1-45)

It is my prayer for you today dear reader that God will fulfil the promise of Exodus 12:1-2 in your life.
November shall be as January to you and you shall pursue and recover all.
Happy new month.

6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

Increase, enlargement or progress is seldom the stuff of accidents. Every major sustained progress in life, career or ministry is a progress of design. Progress and advancement is the stuff of intentions and action.

Paul speaking to the Philippians in Philippians 3:12-14 says
“12 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. 13 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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

People who make unforgettable marks in destiny are people who are driven by unquenchable thirst for more. They are people who suffer no illusions of “arrival”. If you have the slightest belief that you have arrived this article may not be for you. If you believe that you are already as much as you should be and there is no need for further aspirations this article is not for you. This article is specifically for that woman or man who is passionately seeking a new level of operation in life, career and destiny.

What does it mean to “advance”? The word advance itself means: to make progress, move forward, come closer, press on, or to raise to a higher rank. Paul says in Philippians 13:12 that he “actively press(es) on”. Paul’s life depended heavily on God and he had such a close relationship and great experiences with God. Even so, he still considered his Christianity as imperfect that he felt the need to press onto God even more. This is a good attitude to follow: don’t be satisfied right now with whatever you have accomplished. Don’t grow a sense of arrival. The journey to progress is never-ending.

What are the steps to take in advancing?
One, forget what is behind (Philippians 3:13)
We may have experienced failures and regrets in many areas of our lives. But, we should not let our lives be overpowered by the past. Being held back by what happened in the past prevents us from advancing in our lives. We all have a past? We all have details in our previous lives we are not so proud of. You cannot allow those things to permanently define you. You cannot allow your past to hold you back. We should learn from past disappointments but we cannot live permanently in them. Are you reading this right now and somehow you are stuck in your errors. Perhaps you are stuck with the mistakes of the past decade. May be you had a child out of wedlock and so you have now foreclosed every possibility of a fulfilling marriage. Perhaps you lost the opportunity of schooling when your mates did; may be because of drugs or even lack of funds. Missed opportunities or errors of the past should NEVER define the rest of your life. Sit up! Get up and start again. That is the word of the Lord to you today.

Reach forward (verse 13)
A runner, especially a sprinter, pushes their chest forward especially towards the finish line because whoever touches the finish line first, he/she is declared a winner. When we advance, we need to push forward like a sprinter who pushes his/her chest forward to win the race, knowing that his/her opponent is only a split second behind them. People who do really well in life approach each day like it is their last. If you understand your assignment in this life you would make so much haste that 24hours would not be enough in each day. Far too many people approach life rather casually. They procrastinate unendingly. They believe there would always be another day. Listen dear friend, tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Reach forward each day with zeal, purpose and conviction. Work yourself tired each day and go to bed fulfilled. Don’t be a lazy bone. Don’t be that man who always has a waiting excuse to present for almost all responsibilities. Time is ticking. Life is counting. Make the most of it.

Press forward towards the goal (verse 14)
To win the heavenly prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus, Paul pressed on toward the goal. W need to make sure that we’re chasing the right goal or focus on our purpose from God. Many times people spend all of their lives pursuing the wrong assignments. May that not be you in Jesus’ name. We are in a spiritual fight and the devil will always try to blur or re-direct our focus from God’s calling. We must be intentional in finding and living out God’s calling over our lives.

There can be many physical things that we aspire to achieve in our lives. But, don’t forget about your spiritual advancement. Don’t leave your spiritual growth and advancement to chance. Jesus knew His purpose (John 18:37) and so did Paul (1 Corinthians 9:23). What do you want to achieve for yourself in life. But more importantly, what do you want to achieve for your God?

Happy New Month and Happy Independence Celebration.

LI know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

The Bible speaking of the heritage of Jesus in Isa 22:22 says “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”
Every time you hear the word “open doors” it talks about unhindered access to a thing or place
To move into the next level of your life, you have to enter through a door, how you leave a door behind you determines how you will enter the next door in front of you.
Doors give access and they restrict access. Doors can give you entrance and they can limit progress. I pray for anyone today whom the enemy has erected against his/her life strange ancient doors. The Almighty God will breakdown such strange doors in Jesus name.
You need to know what to do to activate open doors.
The difference between a man who is moving forward and a man who is moving backward is that, the man who moves forward knows what to do and the one who is moving backward doesn’t know what to do. ) Matthew 16:19)
Every time you hear the word keys know that there is a door close by.
To activate your open doors, here are a few things you would need:
1, DISCERNMENT:
It can also be called sensitivity. As a believer you must pursue discernment, you need discernment to activate open doors. Not all open doors are meant for you. You need discernment to know the right door for you (Genesis 28:13-16)
13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

You see, nothing helps a man as the capacity to recognize the leading of God. Jacob had the heaven opened over him for a very long while but not much changed in his life because he was unaware. Whatever you do in this season please open up your spirit to recognize the openings and access granted by the spirit. In like manner also, you must be sensitive to know which doors represent distractions and temptations. As Bishop David Oyedepo frequently says “Not every door is God’s door”.
2, HONOR MEN AND VALUE RELATIONSHIPS:
A man can be an open door. To activate open doors you must learn to honor men and value relationships.
“ A valuable relationship can be beneficial to you even in death. The people around you can also decide the door you enter. Keep the right company and watch the right doors open for you(1st Peter 2:27 GNT)
3, CULTIVATE THE HABIT OF SOWING SACRIFICIAL SEEDS: (1st Kings 3:4-5) You need to learn how to sow some sacrificial seeds, and you need the spirit of discernment to know where to sow and when to sow. Sacrificial seeds can open unimaginable doors for you.
Dear brethren, this is your time of open doors, celebrate. Go and manifest with divine ability that is unlimited and not your limited ability.
God is on your side, victory, success and favour is assured.

Happy New Month.

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Disappointment is a hard thing to live with, and sometimes we feel disappointed with God and the circumstances of our lives. The question we sometimes find ourselves asking God is “How could you let this happen to me?“

The truth however is that the real battle is NOT what happens to us, but HOW we respond to what happens to us! If we trust God in ALL circumstances He will prove that He is able to do above our expectations. Many of the greatest people who have ever lived have had the worst circumstances in their lives, it is how they chose to respond to such events that made them great!
Expectation is not just the function of the position you hold but it’s a function of your potential (Genesis 1:28). Expectation is also a function of your purpose in Life. It’s also a function of people’s perception. In life either you are below expectation, meeting expectation or exceeding expectation. You can’t just be fine as a believer, it’s an insult to the blessings of God. The Bible speaking in Romans says For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. It is God′s nature to exceed expectation Romans 8:19
We all have things that we′re believing God for, dreams to come to pass, problems to turn around. We′d be glad if they worked out our way, but sometimes what we have in mind is not God′s best.

We think ordinary, God thinks extraordinary. We think, “Let me have enough to get by,“ God thinks abundance. We think, “Let me manage this addiction,“ God thinks freedom. We′re asking for the possible when God wants to do the impossible. He specializes in exceeding our expectations, and what he has in store for you is bigger, more rewarding, more fulfilling than you can imagine.

Paul said in Ephesians God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think, and I believe this is going to be a year where God exceeds your expectations. He′s not going to do what you′re asking for, he′s going to exceed it. He′s going to open doors you never dreamed would open. He′s going to take you further than you can imagine. You′re going to look back and think, “I never dreamed I′d be this blessed, never dreamed I′d have this position, never dreamed I′d marry somebody this great“. Get ready. God is about to exceed your expectations. He′s going to make things happen that you didn′t see coming. You didn′t deserve it, you didn′t work for it. It′s just the goodness of God showing favour on your life.

This is what happened to a man in Acts chapter 3. He′d been crippled his whole life, and every day his family would carry him to the temple and set him outside by the gate. As people came in, he would ask them for money. He was 40 years old and had done this over the years, day after day. He knew the routine. People would come in, he would beg for money, and here and there they would throw some coins in his bag. This is how he survived.

One day, Peter and John came to the temple. The man went through his same speech, “Can you spare some change? Will you help me out“? Most people ignored him and kept walking, but Peter stopped and said to the man, “Look at us“. The scripture says the man looked up expecting to receive a gift. I can see him hold his bag out, thinking they were going to throw some coins in, but Peter said, “I don′t have any silver or gold for you, but I have something better. In the name of Jesus, rise and walk“
When the people in the temple saw the crippled man walking, running, thanking God, they couldn′t believe it. The scripture says they were astonished, and what God is about to do in your life is going to cause people to look at you in astonishment. They′re going to think, “How could you be so blessed? I know where you came from“. “How could you be free when so many around you are addicted“? “How could you be so strong, so healthy, so energetic? The medical report said you weren′t going to get well“. God is going to make you an example of his goodness. When he exceeds your expectations, people are going to take notice. They′re going to see the favour on your life.
You may have obstacles in your path and challenges coming against you today in your health, your finances, a relationship. You′re asking God to turn it around. Stay encouraged. God is not only going to bring you out, he′s going to have some spoils there. There is going to be some plunder. He′s going to bring you out better than you were before. He′s going to exceed your expectations.

Now, don′t talk yourself out of it. Sometimes when we′ve struggled in an area so long, we′ve gotten comfortable. Like the crippled man, we′re expecting a few coins, something to sustain us, to help us make it through the year. God is about to do a new thing. You′re asking for the possible, he′s about to do the impossible. He′s going to take you where you′ve never been. No more coins, no more dysfunction, no more being barren, no more stuck in your career. You′re about to come in to some of these exceeded expectations.

As we go to this convention, God has spoken yet again through the mouth of our Father in the Lord. In this convention, God will not just be meeting your expectations, He would be exceeding it. This is a year where God is going to do more than you′ve asked. You′ve been faithful, you′ve honored him, now God is about to show out in your life. Every morning, “Lord, I want to thank you that you′re going to exceed my expectations“. If you do this, I believe and declare God is about to visit you again. You′ve had Samuel, he′s been good to you, but you haven′t seen anything yet. New doors are about to open, increase, promotion that you didn′t see coming will come your way. Problems are turning around, health is being restored, exceeded expectations are coming your way in Jesus′ name.