His Voice Devotional

Text:  Ephesians 6:13. For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.  *SHIELD OF FAITH:*  The next item in the spiritual armor is the shield of faith. As  the name implies, A Shield  is a defensive weapon that protects the body from blows, missiles and thrown objects. Hence, your shield or defence against the enemy's attacks and missiles is your faith. Ephesians 6:16 says,  *Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.*  When you take up the shield of faith, you will be able to quench *all* the fiery darts (arrows) of the wicked.  Everyday the enemy is shooting darts of doubts, confusion, depression and the likes at you. The only way to quench all these fiery darts is by taking up your shield of faith. This explains why Romans 1:17 says the just...

Text:  Ephesians 6:13. For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. The first thing you must note today is that the spiritual armor we are looking at is not something you can buy in the market. It is called the armor of God for a reason. So today, we shall continue to look into this whole armor of God.  *BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:* Imagine a soldier going to battle without his breastplate. A breastplate is a piece of armor that protects you from heart injury. As a child of God, righteousness is your breastplate that protects you from injury. Remember we have said that this armor is not imposed on you, but it is  what you take up by yourself. Hence, the righteousness we are talking about here is not just the imputed righteousness of God, but the righteousness you practice. 1 John 3:7 says, *Little children, don’t let anyone deceive...

Text:  Ephesians 6:13. For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. The preceding verse to our text says, *For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.* Ephesians 6:12. Because our wrestle is not with flesh and blood, we are enjoined to take up the armor of God which will enable us to stand firm in the face of opposition. However, it's important to note that God's words did not just say take up the armor of God, rather it says take up the *whole armor* of God. Whole means entire or complete. So when you are not taking the whole armor of God, you are taking incomplete armor, this is very dangerous.  *Any warrior that enters the battlefield without his complete armour is exposing himself to serious danger...

Text:  Ephesians  6:12   For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. One of the important things a professional wrestler does is to study his opponent well before the match. Yes, a good wrestler will definitely study their opponent before a match to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and preferred wrestling style, which allows them to develop a strategy to maximize their chances of winning. This includes watching past matches and analyzing their techniques and tendencies.  If someone who is wrestling with a mere mortal, a fellow human will go to this extent, then, what do you think someone who wants to wrestle with principalities and powers needs to do? One thing you must know as a believer in Christ is that you are in a warfare. 2 Corinthians 2:11 encourages us not be ignorant of the devices of the devil. Your ignorance...

Text: Proverbs 22:1  A [good] name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. Having established that your name is your identity in Christ Jesus, today we shall be considering the need for you to uphold your name. Having gotten a good name, you have the responsibility to uphold same. Today, we shall be learning a great lesson from a man who had a good name but did not uphold same till the very end.  King Solomon, the son of David had a very good reputation before the Lord and the Israelites. 2 Samuel 12:24 says the Lord loved Solomon. "..she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him."  Just as Solomon's name  is, so was the beginning of his reign. Solomon means Peace. Hence, the Lord gave him Peace all around. The scripture says "...he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about...

Text: Proverbs 22:1  A [good] name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. Today we shall be looking at the man Moses who chose a good name over riches.  Moses was raised and brought up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He was taught and raised in the way and lifestyle of an Egyptian, an Egyptian prince for that matter.  Somewhere along the line, he soon discovered that he was an Israelite, and by that he was automatically a slave of  Pharaoh. By Faith, Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, (Hebrews 11:24). You also need faith to be able to refuse association or relationship with the wrong company in spite of their juicy offerings.  Moses chose to bear the name of the God of Israel than to chose that of  Pharaoh's gods. One thing you must know is that chosing a good name is far better and glorious than choosing riches for yourself.  Sometimes, riches does develop wi...

Text:  Acts 3:6.  However, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah from Nazareth, walk!” 'You can't give what you don't have', goes the popular saying. One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o’clock prayer time. A man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple. When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something. Peter, along with John, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look at us!” So the man watched them closely, expecting to get something from them.However, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus  Christ from Nazareth, walk!” Acts 3:1-6. I'm sure you are familiar with the story above. The emphasis...

Text:  Luke 22:32. But I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail. When you have come back, you must strengthen your brothers.” The only thing the enemy is after is your Faith. The enemy is not primarily after your money, relationship, career, health, family or any other thing you hold dear. He is basically after your faith. When he touches any of the things you hold dear, it is so he can get you to lose your faith, so watch out! Before Jesus prayed for Simon in our text, hear what He told him first-  “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has asked permission to sift all of you like wheat,...(Luke 22:31). Satan is still in the business of looking for Jesus' disciples to sift. His aim is to sift the good part of someone away, leaving the person as a mere carcass and shaft while still living. *Anyone who has lost his place in God is a living carcass.*  Jesus' prayer reveals the only way by which one can be saved from the hands of Satan. He said,  I have prayed for y...

Text:  Act 27:24. ‘"...Stop being afraid, Paul! You must stand before the emperor. Indeed, God has given to you the lives of everyone who is sailing with you."’ The association you keep matters a lot in life. Proverbs 13:20 says, *Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,  but the companion of fools suffers harm.* The association you keep will either make you wise or foolish. Beyond wisdom and foolishness is the fact that the company you keep can either lead you to death or to life.  Dinah, Jacob's daughter decided to mingle with the the Hivites' women. She became defiled in the process and her act led to the death of  all the men in the whole city of Shechem. (Genesis 34). As a single fellow, you must be careful who you mingle with because evil communication will always corrupt good manners.(1 Corinthians 15:33). The lives of the people on voyage with Paul was spared because of Paul. God said, He will give him (Paul) the lives of everyone on the ship with hi...

Text:  Acts 27:22. But now I urge you to have courage, because there will be no loss of life among you, but only loss of the ship. For some reasons, Paul was en route to Rome. He was in the same ship with about 276 passengers and crew members. They sailed slowly for a number of days and with difficulty because the wind was against them. (Act 27:7). Then, being led by the Spirit of God, Paul gave a warning to everyone, he said,  “Men, I see that during this voyage there will be hardship and a heavy loss not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives.” Act 27:10. But the centurion (who was in charge) decided to listen to the pilot and the owner of the ship rather than to Paul.  *It is safe and wise to listen to God's voice than the voice of reasoning or popular opinions.*  It was not long before a violent wind (called a northeaster) swept down from the island where they were. The ship was caught so that it couldn’t face the wind, and they gave up and were swept ...

Text:Luke  1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Today, we shall be looking at a scenario of how Apostle Paul watched over the word of God issued to him in the face of danger while traveling to Italy. While on the journey, Paul said to them, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives." (Acts 27:10). They refused his counsel and this got the passengers into big trouble. In spite of their neglect of Paul's counsel, the LORD still sent his angel to Paul and gave him a word of comfort saying, "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you." (Acts 27:24). The Lord has given Apostle Paul a word that he needed to watch over, and that is: " His safe arrival in Italy to stand before Caesar and the safety of all the people in the ship...

Text:Luke  1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. When God' gives you His word, the enemy will make every possible attempt to ensure the word does not come to pass. That's the reason many do not experience the fulfillment of  prophecy and  prophetic words spoken over their lives.  Mary took in with the pregnancy of Jesus the very moment God's word came to her. But after Jesus was born, the  enemy rose up to quench the LIGHT. King Herod ordered that all babies between two years and below should be killed.  Our arch enemy will always use man as his instrument. In this case, he has chosen king Herod to terminate the WORD of God given to mankind. The devil is a lawless being, he has no regard for anyone. You can imagine him making attempts on the life of the Son of God, the very Word of God Himself.  If the devil did make an attempt to snuff out Jesus' life and destiny when...

Text:Luke  1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. When God's word come to you, you have the sole responsibility to watch over the word lest the enemy steal it away from you. Today, we shall be looking at three reasons you need to watch over the word of God spoken to you.  The parable of the sower in Matthew chapter 13 shows that God's word can be stolen from one's heart, hence the need for you to guard your heart and watch His word in your heart. The word can be stolen when you do not understand what you've heard. That means it's on the bare surface of your heart, and not properly hidden in the very core of your heart. Another reason you must watch the word is because tribulation and persecution can steal it away from your heart. A Stony heart can be very deceptive. Though, such a heart might have joyfully received the word, but the word hasn't gained so much depth. To watch over...

Text: Psalms 16:5. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: you maintain my lot. There are times when you get so unmotivated. Nothing just seems to make sense. Isaiah 40:30 says even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. That is, even as a young fellow, your strength is your glory but your strength will not always carry you through. This is why David said even if his body and mind fails, he is sure that God will never fail. This unfailing God will always be his strength and portion. (Psalms 73:23).  It is wisdom to lean on the rock that can never fail. If God is your portion,  it does not matter what happens around you, because He cannot fail, you will not fail. Today, many are celebrating Valentine, and many will get their hearts broken along the line, the only constant love that will never fail you is the love of God. When God is your portion, your lot will always be maintained. *Bible  Reading :*  Psalms 73:.1...

Text:  Hebrew 11:1. Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists. At times, the devil will whisper something like this to me, he will say, "how sure are you that what you are trusting God for will be done?" And almost all the time, I silence his evil voice by recounting God's faithfulness in the past to me. When you are sincere with yourself, you will clearly see the faithfulness of God upon your life. Psalms 103:2 says, *Bless the LORD, my soul,   and never forget any of his benefits:* There's a big tendency for man to forget the good done to him. Man is always fast to remember the evil done to him than he remembers the good. But God doesn't want this to be your narratives. He doesn't want you to forget his benefits. The truth is, one thing that gives you the assurance that what you hope for in God will come to pass is the monuments of His faithfulness that you are raising up to Him. This co...

Text:  John 1:40-41. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Anointed One!” (which is translated “Messiah”). The best service anyone can render to his brother is to bring him to the feet of the Master, Jesus Christ. While others are scheming how to bring their brothers down, we have some who are working with the wisdom from above to bring their siblings to Jesus Christ. Apostle Andrew was one of such men. Andrew, the senior brother of Peter heard about Jesus Christ and instead of keeping the beautiful news to himself he looked for his younger brother Peter, he shared the news with him and brought him to Jesus Christ. If you have found Jesus, don't keep Him to yourself. Share the good news with your brothers and sisters. Take them to the feet of Jesus through prayers and most importantly, let your lifestyle complement what you professed. Your famil...

Text:   Hebrew 13:1. Let brotherly love continue. Psalms 133:1 says, *Look how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!*  The truth is, the devil is also cognisant of the truth of this verse of the scripture. The devil understood this truth more than many brothers. Hence, he's working hard to see to it that brothers walk in the opposite direction. First and foremost, I need you to know that there are two types of brothers. We have brothers in the flesh, which are referred to as siblings, and we have brothers in Christ which are referred to as brethren. Whether brothers in the flesh or in Christ, the truth is, it is good and pleasant for them to dwell together in unity. From the very beginning, the devil saw to it that the goodness and the pleasantness in brotherhood is hampered. As early as Genesis chapter four, we saw Cain killing his brother, Abel. The first murder ever to be committed was done between siblings. Ever since then, the enemy has no...

Text : Ecclesiastes  11:4  He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. The scriptures clearly stated in Romans 2:1, "...you are inexcusable, O man..." The most unfortunate and sorrowful excuse a man can give is one given against the  SALVATION of his soul. Though this begins with you confessing Christ as your Savior and Lord, but it does not end with that. The very end of our faith is the salvation of our souls. 1 Peter 1:9 says *"receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls."*  God really wants to produce children after His first begotten- Jesus Christ our Lord. That's our pursuit and our calling. That's what we are called into from the very beginning when we got born again.God wants to indwell us spirit, soul and body; this is our salvation.   *For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.(Romans 8:29).* ...

Text : Ecclesiastes  11:4  He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. If you are used to giving seemingly 'genuine' excuse especially when it has to do with your relationship with God and His kingdom, then you may be heading towards danger. Though, there could be genuine excuse for which you may not be able to do one thing or the other, but you must ensure that you don't tolerate any excuse that may be raising a platform for the enemy in your life. Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven to a man who has prepared a great supper and invited many. All of them began to give different excuses. Hear their excuses as narrated in the scriptures: "But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused. And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused....

Text : Ecclesiastes  11:4  He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. Dictionary defined excuse as explanation provided with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement. But I will like to define excuse as any reason given to defend one's failure to perform or to deliver the needful. As simple as excuse might appear, it is one of the  subtle but dangerous weapons the devil uses against God's people.  It will surprise you to know that many on the day of judgement will have one excuse or the other for which they couldn't follow the Lord while on earth. The unfortunate thing however is that, when we stand before the Lord, we can't give any excuse! The enemy always supply you with one thousand and one  reasons why you can't do something. You've cooperated enough, it's time for you to deliver yourself from all manner of Excuses.  If you always have genuine reason(s) why you cannot pray, study the word, fellowsh...

Text: 1Timothy 2:14. And it was not Adam who was deceived. It was the woman who was deceived and became disobedient, From the very beginning, the devil wanted Adam(man) to fall, yet, he didn't go straight for  Adam, he went to his wife Eve. The devil is still using the same strategy today, he is  always looking for unsuspecting women to carry out his evil plans. The woman was created to be an help suitable for the man (Genesis 2:18), but the devil wants the woman to be a web that will truncate  man's destiny. So, a woman is either a tool in God's hands or weapon in the hands of Satan. The question now is, what kind of woman are you? Are you a tool in God's hands or a weapon for the devil? Note that Eve did not set out to harm her husband, Adam, but she was won over the moment she started conversing with the serpent. You can't court the devil and go scot free. Whose voice you listen to will determine whom you will obey.  When Mary heard the words of God through angel...

Text: Psalms 127:1  Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain. Raising up children is like constructing buildings. Everything you do is either adding one block to the building or removing from it. Essentially, it is the responsibility of parents to train up their wards. This parental duty can never be overemphasized. Proverbs 22:6 says, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  God testified concerning Abraham, He says, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him."Genesis 18:19. Dear father, can you honestly answer these questions? Can God boast about you the way He did about Abraham? Are you giving your children and your entire household Godly commands? Are you even ...

Text:  Psalms 127:2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. A family unit consists of the father, mother and the children. In this setting, the leader of this family unit is the father. Everything rises and falls on the leader, this popular saying is so very correct. Have you ever wondered why the serpent did not engage the animals or any other creatures in a conversation in the garden of Eden? To disrupt the plan of God for mankind, the serpent went straight to the leaders God had placed in the Eden and the rest is history today. The serpent is still targeting the head today. This explains why many fathers are not correct. The Devil knows that once the father is incorrect, the whole family will go wrong. Don't be a prey in his hands, seek to be a correct father. Dear father, take a second look at our text again. It says, "it is vain for you to rise up early and to sit up late". Many fathers ar...

Text: Psalms  28:7   The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Many Christians tend to be ignorant of God's present help. Man's help appear more real to them than God's help, hence they are unable to receive God's help. Let's glean a few lessons from the famine story that ravaged Samaria due to the enemy's besiegement. (2King 7). When God decided to bring an end to the famine and austerity in Israel, He sent his word through Prophet Elisha saying, "Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria....'" This is God's help for the  people of God in Israel. Though, the Lord has spoken of how abundance and surplus will be swallowing up the famine and the austerity in Israel, but the King's personal...

Text: Psalms 33:20 Our soul wait for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. Relaxing yourself in God's hands to receive His help in the face of trouble is key to your deliverance. In our Bible reading, the two women in Samaria sought help for themselves and they got into big mess. They became cannibals simply because they couldn't wait on the Lord.  Today, we shall be paying a closer attention to the statement made by the King of Israel to the woman seeking justice.  The king said "If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?" The king of Israel made it clear that the only one who can help is God. If you know this singular truth, you will stop seeing men as your help, and start looking up unto God alone as your help and source. You must know and be well established in the fact that, except the Lord helps you, no man can. The Psalmist says  'I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my ...

Text: Psalms 33:20 Our soul wait for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. What would be your sincere counsel for a man who is struggling  in a sinking mud? You realise that he is stuck, and the more he  struggles to come out, the more he sinks down below the earth surface? The very simple counsel to give this man is to relax and wait for help. That's his only best option.  Sometimes you find yourself in this kind of situation where every single effort you take seems ineffective. It appears like you are coming out of one trouble to enter into another. Just like a man in a sinking mud, all you've got to do is to cry and wait for help. Stop struggling, you can't help yourself. Unlike the widespread lies and unscriptural statement that says, God help those who help themselves, *God does not help those who help themselves, He only help those who wait on Him for help.*  Once upon a time, two women in Samaria, Israel made an attempt to help themselves out of their predi...