THE RIGHT WAY OF FIGHTING SPIRITUAL WARFARE

The Right Way of fighting Spiritual Warfare

When physical war is taking place, the aim is always to take possession of a thing and people. The target is made to be subjected to the value system of the attacker whether good or evil. If the target is overcome by an evil attacker, he becomes obligated to do evil and if otherwise, he becomes a slave to good. Whether you like it or not as a believer, you are in the middle of war. A spiritual war!

"And the Dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children- all who keep God's commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus" (Rev.12:17).

Devil has declared war against you. He has a lot of captives and he is not stopping to conquer more free men and women. So, many believers who have been set free by our victorious captain- Jesus have surrendered themselves again as captives in the camp of the enemy. The only  reason I have realized to have cause this is that they don't know the strategy with which the Devil fights his war. Now, when you find yourself a captive in the camp of the enemy, you become obligated to join his army that will be firing arrows against the rest who are not yet a slave to this evil warrior. Whether you are a pastor, prophet, apostle or first class Christian, you won't be able to help it but to do his bidding.

"Lest Satan takes advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor:2-11).

Let me begin to unveil some of the strategies of the enemy through some revelational knowledge given to us by our Captain. 

"You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also" (Matt:5-38-39). Also, this place says:

"Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

Devil's strategy in winning a warfare against you is to make you do evil and so become a captive to him(evil). Of course I know that no believer will want to do evil because they know anyone who is given to evil is of the Devil. Devil's way of doing it is to first of all raise an evil person against you, this can be in your family, at work place, in the neighborhood or at church. He only wants you to press the button of retaliation and by doing so, he has succeeded in recruiting you as a captive of war. The only way to win this is to follow the word of God which happened to be one of the armors to stand against the Devil in your spiritual warfare. This we must always put at the back of our minds that people who rise against us in evil are not actually the problem, they themselves are unfortunately captives of the enemy. This is why Jesus said that we should pray for those who persecute us and bless those who curse us. This is our winning way. Space will not permit me to explain this matter deeply but I must quickly point this out that winning a spiritual warfare requires that we be defensive and offensive in our strategy. 

"13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion" (Eph:6:13-18).

If the Devil is not using the first strategy, this scripture passage explains the other strategy he will use which necessitates the kind of armor we must put on to win the warfare. Let me talk about "truth".

Truth as a defensive armor tells us that Devil makes captives through lie (heresy). Knowing the truth and living by the truth will make you stand against him. For instance, a believer can be lied to that sex outside marriage is nothing wrong. Any believer who believes this lie will soon become a captive to sexual immorality, such will not know when he or she will soon begin to jump from one bed to another. Thus, becoming possessed by all kinds of demonic spirits such as filthy spirit, manipulative spirit, spirit causing spiritual laxity, hardened spirit e.t.c.

I will like to just say something about righteousness as a defensive armor and round it up with Gospel of peace and prayer as an offensive weapon.

Righteous life which makes you holy (uncommon, untouched, clean, different) is a great defensive armor. Somebody will say, how come you are talking about spiritual warfare and you never mentioned a situation where a person is attacked in the dream by charm, enchantment or divination to run mad or to get sick. I will say it is part of spiritual warfare but it is actually the punishment a captor gives to his captive to satisfy his pleasure and demonstrate his superiority over his captives. But such arrow of oppression or affliction will not enter if a believer lives righteously. 

I Peter 3:10-11 says, “If you want to enjoy life  and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it". 

Holiness and righteousness are great defensive armors that protect us against satanic oppression.

There are many more to write but space will not allow me to do that. But let me wrap up this write up by these two offensive weapons- Gospel of peace and prayer. There is a saying that the best form of defense is attack. It is actually good to be defensive but it is better to be offensive in this spiritual warfare. Let us imagine Devil alone fighting against a thousand good people, you will realize that his achievement will be minimal unlike having a thousand evil people in his camp (captivity) that he has recruited to do evil with him against us. In a situation like this, the best way we can reduce his victory is to set his captives free to reduce him to himself alone, then we can all unleash our judgement against him. How can we achieve this? It is by preaching the gospel of Christ that bring peace to all his captives and we empower our preaching for effectiveness through a weapon of prayer. The weapon of gospel of peace is aimed at emptying the camp of the enemy of good people that have now become evil. When we refuse to preach, the enemy wins more souls into evil and uses these same souls to do evil so that we the good people can join his captives. The gospel of peace bring salvation. Salvation is also an armor for spiritual warfare. If you have not received salvation through Jesus Christ, you can't but be a captive of the evil one, the Devil. And as a believer, we must continue to grow in our salvation. This is a way we can continue to live as a conqueror in spiritual warfare everyday. May you continue to grow in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Pastor Femi OGUNDELE,

GOFAMINT, 

Nigeria.

+234 818 907 1594

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 12/09/2023

TUESDAY- 12TH SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

IS SAUL ONE OF THE PROPHETS? - Taken Over Series 003

I Samuel 10:11, KJV

"11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

I told you yesterday that once you're taken over, you might give off or be used for what you've never been known for before. What you must know is that humanity is frail and spotted with inadequacies. We're only made complete, strong and become he that can do all things only through He that strengthens us. It is that act of strengthening you and I that lead to the impacting of a God ability into us so that we'll be able to do what we couldn't have done before. That's God's equipping of you as a minister of the gospel. That's God's ministration to you to arm you up. Meanwhile, through you, others will receive God's energia to be able to do what they couldn't have done before. That's when chains will be loosen, the insane will become sane, the deaf hears, the blind sees etc. However, you must know that God's concentration today is on the fact that He gives you dynamite (power) even where you're most weak as to qualify you to minister to others. This is true and a worthy saying that once a man is taken over, he becomes reputed for all the good he couldn't do before. 

As predicted by Samuel to Saul, certain signs shall follow after his having been anointed secretly as king over Israel. One of these is to be taken over and prophesy himself. 

I Samuel 10:5-6, KJV

"5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man". 

I'm still talking on being taken over and I hope you saw that it's well expressed in the verses above. Samuel promised Saul that the Spirit of the Lord (Holy Spirit) will come upon him and when He does, what shall be the consequence? He [Saul] shall prophesy with established and known prophets. Mark that! That has never been the experience of Saul. In no place do we have record of Saul prophesying until this time. That is a manifestation of having been taken over. Do understand that being taken over also means the Holy Spirit coming on you. Saul could therefore do nothing [or manifest any mighty work] until the Holy Spirit had come on him. If the Holy Spirit never did, he wouldn't have been taken over [as a vessel to be used] and will never for once be reputed to have prophesied or be taken for one of the prophets. Brethren, Jesus while speaking said something that fits the Spirit of God coming on Saul. He says in John  6:63 that "it is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing..." Did you see the Spirit in action in an ordinary man's life today? That's why it's the Spirit that quickens [or benefits] us, the flesh profits nothing - brings no profit [except ruins].

You can do what you have never done before or be known for what you've never been known for before. All that will come to pass when the Spirit that quickens, enables and inspires come on you. When the Spirit came on me, I began to write and then author daily. Writing daily is not consequent to my having studied English. No! I'm just poor me without the Holy Spirit. It's rather because it's the Spirit that quickens. Once the Spirit comes, disability is changed and revamped to ability. You immediately become strong and enter into the rank of those known for a vocation or calling. Just like Saul, people would ask, "is he now among the exhorters, teachers, prophets and holy minstrels?". 

Today, an ability will come on you. I call it the energia of God. It shall arm you up and give you a new reputation. You shall therefore enter into calling and be known in the calling. So shall it be. 

PRAYER: Lord, I receive your energia that makes an ordinary man able. Today, I am armed for ministration.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Isaiah 10:1-11:16; 2 Corinthians 12:11-21. Psalm 56:1-13; Proverbs 23:6-8

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 11/09/2023

MONDAY- 11TH SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

DIVINE TAKE OVER - Series 002

Numbers 22:28, KJV

"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"

Divine take over is a reality. This narrative is very much clear to us. God is not delighted with Balaam. Though He has given Him a permissive release to go yet God wouldn't have him go. He has only received answers according to the multitude of idols he has hidden in his heart. This should be a warning to you not to be given to your own will or else, God might reveal or give you your perverted will [Ezek.14:4]. It's very much clear to us all that Balaam has a strong appetite towards the riches and honour promised him by Balak. It's for this reason he says again, "tarry here tonight and I'll see what more God would say" [Numb.22:19]. The question should be, "what else does God want to say?" Has He not spoken and will He not abide by it? It's on this occasion Balaam missed it. 

Going forward on that journey, God sent an angel to withstand him. Unfortunately, Balaam couldn't see God's angel which has come to stand as an adversary. It's herein this scripture is fulfilled which says, I have set the Lord always before me, He's at my right hand, how shall I be moved (Psalm 16:8)?" It is what you set before you and which you look or have looked intently into that you'll see or see its manifestations. The Psalmist is not shaken because the Lord which He always thinks on, seek after and imagine on has made him in turn to be as solid as a rock. However, that's not the case with Balaam. What he has set before him is Balak's son's of Zipporah's promised riches and honour. As he goes on that journey, he has lost touch with God and now all the imagination of his heart is on what great estate he'll soon enter into. For this reason, he couldn't see God's angel. This is a man who ought to have open vision with open eyes yet he doesn't see how close he is to getting killed. What you set before you is what you'll see. It's a spiritual principle. If your meditation all day is on fornicating, you'll see the devil indulge you with an opportunity to take sooner. 

But in all, salvation is still hidden for Balaam in his ass. On three occasions, his ass turned away from the angel and the divine presence before it. That angel has an aura round him that no mortal could intrude into or else would be slain. It's this the ass sees and fears. However, God wanting to rebuke the madness of heart of Balaam rebuked him by opening his ass' mouth. That's a divine take over now. Animals do talk or exhibit communication but their communication (especially of a donkey here) is intelligible to humans. But this donkey received a take over and immediately its mouth is open to communicate rebuke to Balaam. 

II Peter 2:15, KJV 

"... and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet".

Unfortunately, Balaam still didn't hearken for I thought he'll run away for refuge when he hears the donkey speak. Rather, he banter words with it. This tells you how much he is bent on getting Balak's riches and honour. The passage of the Bible above says, "...the dumb ass speaking with a man's voice..." What I want you see is the word, "dumb". It means inability to speak or make speeches. So, there won't be audibility even if the mouth is opened up and down. However, when the Lord God takes this ass over, though dumb (by makeup that fits it), it immediately has a loose tongue and it speaks with a human voice that instant. This is God's doing and it's marvellous in our sight. That's what the Lord only could have done. Or when did you hear your dog speak to you in a man's voice, in intelligible understandable human language? Never! So, if an ass could exercise that, it means God needs it for a vessel and had to equip it for same. That's why I earlier said that taken over always come with all the equipping necessary for the discharge of the taken over. When you're taken over, even if you're not known for a particular thing, you immediately become reputed for it and that's because you're just a vessel in His hands. God has therefore made you to appear like a wonder unto many. Today, may you provide the Lord with a body and be His taken over and anointed. 

PRAYER: Lord, take me over and use me to the fullest and contrary to my afore reputation. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Isaiah 8:1-9:21; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 23:4-5

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 10/09/2023

SUNDAY- 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

DIVINE TAKE OVER

Numbers 22:28, KJV

"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"

There's something like divine takeover. God can take people over for you or take you over for His use. 

When I first got to Lagos State, Nigeria, I was not in the know that any sort of religious activities shouldn't be done in the state's luxurious buses but I have the habit of evangelizing in public transport. That day, my fiancee (now wife) was not talking to me. She just kept mute though we had boarded the bus together in order to go make some purchases somewhere (that was even not around our wedding). 

Not long after we settled in the bus, I was taken over and I felt very much like preaching. Oftentimes I had preached in vehicles, I was the one who solely decided to, chose the scriptures and even did a mental work on how the preaching should go but this time I had this strong urge, a bubbling from my inside and then a sense of urgency to preach. I do see scriptures in the spirit and the one I saw that day was from Acts 16. It Chronicles Paul's call to Macedonia but I didn't preach on the Macedonian call literally. From those verses and that incident, I rather preached on calling and going into the field or specialization God has called our individuals to. That day was lit. That message was one of the messages I found difficult to forget. It sets the entire passengers on fire. Everybody was just quiet trembling at the Word. That day, I had a knowing that there might be somebody who has been living in defiance or resistance to the will and call of God on his life. Mind you, the will of God or His call is not always to ministry. It may be to a career path like being a chef or a farmer. But that message as I discovered might be the last God's sent message to that fellow who has refused to succumb to God or His call till then. For that reason, it came with much power and grace. It was so powerful and effective that I was almost turned into a little god in that bus. I could sense the admiration, reference and worship afterwards. As people took turn getting down, they'd looked at me with a sense of "what a thing" and then drop off! But, I turned them all to God. To Him be all the glory and honour. May you or I not be found seeking to share with Him His glory. 

When we talk of divine takeover, what do we mean? Or let us ask, what is a take over? To take over in its right sense means to possess, grab or even inspire for a particular intent. Meanwhile, it should still be noted that the taken over won't lose his senses or by that become a zombie. He's not. That's why even when possession or the cloak of the anointing comes to rest on him, he has the responsibility of welcoming the Spirit or shooing Him away. But, a man could be taken over. You my reader can be taken over. Whenever God has a work to do and it is utmost that it should be done, men [even unbelievers or the heathen] could be taken over. God will inspire or come on them for that work to be accomplished. When He's done with them and the work accomplished, then He might lift Himself from them. But while the work last, He'll committedly be with them and upon them. There are many kings, nobles and even politicians and world leaders who God has taken over before just for His own will not to be disrupted but progressed. He comes on them to legislate or favour His course and that's it. They'll just become favourably disposed to God's people and that'll be it. They'll just unnecessarily become accommodating and would look like they're acting contrarily to what they've always stood for. As a matter of fact, those around them would wonder at the change and that won't be but for the fact that God needs a body to express Himself and His will through. Who has He found if not Cyrus whom the hands of the Lord will help (II Chro.36:22-23)? There are many Cyruses that God is stirring and taking over and that's because they have the power to use their influence to achieve something for God. Once it's the Lord, God will teach them. With every taken over comes every initiative and know hows to accomplish that intent or purpose of God for which He has taken you over. You can't be taken over as God's mouth for instance and be suffered with utterance. No! Utterance will gush out like flood. It'll be unimaginable at the choices of words the Holy Spirit will fill you with. Each word will have an intent and as you send them, so they'll do and achieve. That's when this verse of the Bible that says, "so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11, KJV). Such are the words given you in such times when you hit this prophetic frequency where you're shooting almost without effort and then expressly. Divine take over is a reality and if you'll ever be a vessel who'll be sanctified for the Master's use, you'd see that He'll take you over frequently. At times, I'll just experience a cloud on me, dew settling or permeating me or a cloak or jacket wrapping me up. Once I feel this energia (energy) of God, I move in my graces, anointing and office easily and spontaneously. I can then run and not be weary, do spiritual things thoughtlessly and with such intensity that'll even surprise me. The testimony that'll follow is that, "and it snapped like a flax caught by fire" (Judges 15:14).  May God raise more instruments and take more people over.

CONFESSION/PRAYER: I have prepared you a body, Lord. Come and take Your place. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 6:1-7:25; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 23:1-3

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 05/09/2023

TUESDAY- 5TH SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

I GOT MY MIND MADE UP

Read Acts 21:1-14

Acts 21:13, KJV

"Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus".

I once heard somebody told a story of a young chap who said he would jump down from a storey building. Crowd eventually gathered. However, he was being hypocritical about it. Yes, because he neither jumped but rather repeatedly echo, "I will jump". If he really wanted to jump, he wouldn't do much announcement but rather take off into the air. By such action, he'll be measured to have been very very serious. We ought to move from intention or profession to acting. Many people are really really reluctant when it comes to acting or taking the step that matters. They are not different from the King's Horseman in the Nobel Laeuretes' Wole Soyinka's _Death and the King's Horseman_ . The King's Horseman according to the Yoruba tradition ought to die to accompany the spirit of the deceased king to the realm beyond. However, his reluctance proves he actually does not want to die. His delay proves he loves life and would device to cling to it. This man is therefore slow in action - especially the sort that's expected from a ready heart. 

God forbid! May you not be like these two fellows above. May you be such one who has made up his mind and then follows it with action. May you be like Jesus with a tilted face set towards Jerusalem. May you have made up your mind on what to pursue and not resign from in this life. 

In today's passage, by the Spirit of God, Paul is first signalled that he should not go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4). Did he hearken? No! On another occasion not at all distanced from the first; a reputable prophet by the name Agabus prophesies that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem. 

Acts 21:11, KJV

"And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles".

The prophecy is so dramatic and graphic that a shivering heart would have been scared out of what is purposeful for him to do. I just learnt here that knowing the will of God before hand pays a lot. If you do, nothing could come shaking or violently root you up. It'll help your perspective of things and give you right judgement on new matters. That's why it's popularly said that those who stand for nothing will fall for everything. They can't but be tossed to and fro. Since God doesn't contradict Himself, it means that word of knowledge was not given to Paul to deter him from appearing before and witnessing to kings and nobles as the Lord Jesus had afore said of his ministry and assignment.

Acts 9:15-16, KJV

"15 But the Lord said...for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake"

That Paul would even suffer many things which these two predictions warned about isn't a new thing. They are disclosures Paul has been living with and bearing in mind till then. So, those prophecies [while they're from God] are rather for the sole purpose of affirming and preparing his soul ready again for what he'll face. Also, they are timely predictions to prepare him for the last phase of his ministry and the need to hold on. No wonder, even Jesus appears to him while in bound encouraging and reminding him of the need to further bear the gospel before kings.  

Acts 23:11, KJV

"And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome".

So, we should know to what end a word of knowledge is given. For Paul, it was never intended to stop him but encourage him to face what lies ahead him in grace and the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ. But looking at these words of knowledge on different occasions, you'll have thought Paul would have perished or repented of any thought to go to Jerusalem. Rather, Paul runs the contrary. He tells the brethren who had begun to weep and plead with him not to leave why they'll be doing that to break his heart. He is firm and decisive in his speech. Paul only sees them as being petty and hindering God's will that should be fulfilled in him and through him. God has already told him that prison and bounds await him wherever he goes. That is not to scare him but to prepare him ready and make him remain steadfast in assignment. Paul in replying the brethren cautions them not to cry. He admits he's not only ready to be bound but to die for Christ if need be. That's how much he's sold to purpose. He could even go the extra mile. This is nothing else but a mind that's made up. And if I'll say, no mind is made up which doesn't first of all have a cause behind his resoluteness. How worthy is your cause?

This is the kind of person God wants you to be. Purposeful heart that can not be persuaded out of God's will and all classified for him. Paul is so strong in subduing the situation under his control that all the pleading eventually quietened when they observes he'll not be persuaded. They rather commits him into God's hands and that His will would be done in his life. This is who I want to be. I want to model after this kind of immovable resolution. Some will call it stubbornness and others label it as pride. But this is resolution coming from a prepared heart that knows God's will and will refuse to be moved from it. A heart that's ready to do the will of God - eat His meat and finish it. As a matter of fact, why Paul refuses to be dissuaded is so that he might finish his course. 

Therefore, beware of pettiness when purpose is at stake. At the edge of doing the will of God which is utmost to your destiny and will be obedience to God, you'll meet with dissuasion that you must be firm with and not allow to turn you. Some could have temporarily cut off family to travel abroad for studies, go into the army or pursue a life, career or destiny that'll be one day glorious and for which they'll be famed on earth and rewarded in heaven. However, they allow voices of parents, siblings, sponsors and sometimes mentors to drown them. This way, they couldn't travel into this future of excellent things of eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of any man what God has prepared for them. I pray for you that you shall be loosed into your greatness. You won't stay back when you should journey into purpose. No voice will be strong enough to win you over from the future that God has preordained for you even pre your conception. One man once said he stayed back in the village when his age mates were leaving for Lagos in those days. He said it became the reason for his smallness till date. Some of you also, there's a call on your head. I hope you'll heed it and pursue it. If not, you'll have successfully being hindered from seeing your better days and that off course lies in front. 

PRAYER: Lord, I receive grace and gift of discernment. May the devil not disguise through authority figures to dissuade me from path I should take and the way I should go.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18; 2 Corinthians 7:8-16; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-19

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 04/09/2023

MONDAY- 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

HIS FACE IS TILTED!

Luke 9:51, KJV 

"And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem".

Brethren, I say what I hear. Look, His face is tilted. What a thing that Jesus has a tilted face. You can as well have such face. A face that beholds in the spirit or through his mind and refuses to let go but is stayed on what it has found to muse. A face whose mind is made up and would not for once or one thing or the other shift his resolution. That's the tilted face. A tilted face is one that's resolutely crested on purpose and its conviction about what it has seen or received as purposeful to do. 

May your face be tilted and solely fixed on what you must do as written of you in the volume of God's book. Many people will do all to the exclusion of what is written of them. May you not be that. At a tender age, Jesus' face was tilted to the business of His father. That was at age twelve. He would even not mind being left behind by family as long as He is doing what He loves to do [Luke 2:42-46]. Hmmm! A tilted face!

Our verse above conveys in its entirety a tilted face and a resolute heart. It says, "and it came to pass..." We might quickly ask, "what eventually came to pass there?" "It came to pass when the time was come for Jesus to be received up, that He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem". 

Something necessitated that focus Jesus has. It's because the time of His suffering, crucifixion, death and departure nears. Because it's beginning to near for the son of man to be received up (ascended), He immediately sets His face towards Jerusalem (where it would begin to happen to Him step by step). This is a purposeful life. This is a life that has seen what is written in the distance for Him and would refuse to be deterred from hitting or dotting on it one by one. He's been called to come and He's not in denial. It's no longer a debate that Jesus is sold to purpose and what is the will of His Father for Him. Can a time come in your life where because of purpose, you set your face or focus on something and dot on it for long until it's done. When you set your face on something, it becomes your next move. You'll have so much cultivated and meditated on it that that your next activity will be to implement it.

Having a tilted face will be your experience especially if you're called and you have an assignment you need to fulfill. A time would come that the assignment would come knocking like a mighty rushing wind and all that you'll feel for it is going to heed it. It'll so much burn in you that you'll lose joy in pleasure or indulgence in other activities. You'll just want to go to be with the Lord in that particular assignment. That's when your face is turned towards that heart calling and nothing else could satisfy or pacify you from it. 

As a matter of fact, Jesus couldn't be removed from the direction of Jerusalem that His mind has trapped and absorbed. The Bible says, "He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem". "Steadfastly" means sternly and with all focus. That is from then, the rumination, aspiration and plans of Jesus becomes going to Jerusalem to be arrested, suffered and even murdered. This man, Jesus is sold to purpose even unto the death of the cross as willed for Him by His Father. No wonder, He says, "no man collects His life from Him but that He willingly lays it down. He said He has power to lay it down and to take it again because He has received same commandment from His Father [John 10:17-18]. And at the end, the fact that He had a set face steadfastly set towards Jerusalem and on dying for the sins of the whole world is actually what saves us all. If Jesus had not died at all, I wonder what would have happened? That's why you must have a set, focused, classified and all fixed concentration on your purpose. Refuse to be shifted! You must seek not to be lost in your concentration but rather totally given to it according to this verse.

Isaiah 50:7, KJV

"For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed".

He sets his face like a flint. Do you know what a flint is? It's a very sharpened, streamlined and pointed rock. So sharpened that it could be said to be facing just a specific direction and not enlarged and scattered to all places. When you set your face like a flint or set it on something like a flint, you give it your whole energy and concentrate  all on it. For instance, if you use a lens to direct and focus the rays/race of the sun on a paper, it'll burn. That's what a sharp pointed or flint face means. It means a face that's single and not like one without purpose beating the air. You must be purposeful; marching in unison like a flood and in strength like the Spartans. 

That's why Jesus refused to be distracted, detoured, diverted or remapped away from His purpose. Purpose is so single and singular that a little detour would take you far away from it. But you must not stray but rather maintain your stay. Because of the season that Jesus has found come upon Him that a planned purpose must be delivered, He also surrendered to flow with that time and purpose and obey all its intents. As such, He's willing to go to Jerusalem. 

God wants you to be this focus. Jerusalem and being there so much gripped Jesus' spirit that they were not received where they have gone. The Bible records, "and they did not receive Him [elsewhere He went immediately after the revelation of being in Jerusalem] because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem". 

So, it's possible for somebody not to be received at a location because in his very soul, he is dreaming of a vision of another land? Jesus' thoughts and imaginations on being in Jerusalem must have become so visible in the realms so much more that it cancels appearances in other places. Jesus' face is rather titled towards Jerusalem. You also can have a titled face. Yes, you can have a face, mind, heart that's always directed to a particular obsession, pursuit, finding, vocation, location or even a fellow etc. When it gets to that level where your face is set towards a particular thing, it means if it's not that thing, it's not another. Why is your desire set on a particular specialization? Why is it that the thought of your mind and imagination are all directed towards a particular direction? It may be that God has ordained that field for you to colonize or dominate and if you look at it, it's in that field you have gathered experience over the years and have become the expert you are. Or why do you keep dreaming of travelling overseas? Why is your face tilted towards the great beyond and your thoughts directed and casted on people of other races? That's to draw you to come into your calling and grand plans that await you. That's why nothing has been able to satisfy you or collect you from that dream till hitherto. 

Jesus' face is tilted. Tilted towards Jerusalem and not any other place. May we all be this children of purpose. May we all be sold out to what is purpose alone. May we be so single that no conviction could snatch us from what we have set our faces on, towards or to do.

PRAYER: Lord, use the tilting of my face and the obsession in my heart to call me where I should be. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 22:16

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - 03/09/2023

SUNDAY- 3RD SEPTEMBER, 2023

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO

YOU WILL TRAVEL AND TOWARDS THE GOAL

Genesis 40:15, KJV

"For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon".

Do you have a destiny? Do you by faith believe that the thought God has towards you is thought of good [of welfare] and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future? If you do, you'll do well. It'll make you see God in the right light as He who has your best in mind and who can't compromise that irrespective of what you face. It'll make you succumb rightly and attitudinally to his refining furnace when you're taken through one. If you know that Canaan is truly before you, you wouldn't mind the difficulty of the wilderness if your journey is necessitated to be mapped through it. Your eyes will just be on the prize - that lies at the great beyond and on the other side. 

God can lead you or He guides you. Leading and guidance are two realities. Many times, both are in the journey of a destined man. God only communicated to Joseph his great end. That was the interesting part. Joseph wouldn't stop telling his brethren and father his great future. It looks so good to him. No wonder, the Bible says we have exceeding great and precious promises (II Pet. 1:4). Knowing creates joy in any no doubt.  

Seeing he'll become a fellow so great as to be worshipped or bowed down to, that stirs him into joy and lightens his face. He was just speaking all around and to any who'll care to listen. But God is committed to moving beyond the disclosure of your future to you. Where the real deal lies is in its fulfilment and that's the joy anyone should seek to experience. We can talk of a bright future till tomorrow but if you don't enter into it, it'll have been a mirage glory. How then will you be satisfied early with God's mercy that you have long awaited for all these years?

So, God transplants Joseph from the base of the Hebrews to Egypt. God didn't seek his permission. God didn't notify him. All he had were dreams of an expected end but he was not shown the process and road to walk to possess that expected end. In Joseph's word above, "I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews..." That's how God sent him on the journey of destiny fulfilment. Let me tell you something. God is not committed to your comfort that doesn't get your destiny or reason for creation fulfilled. God is committed to 'keeping your nigga boy running'. He's committed to putting you on the run. He's committed to your travelling and your path and your destiny crossing. That's what He's committed to and so the ways by which He may do that may at times be shocking to an ordinary mind. It might puzzles us. Imagine Joseph himself saying, "he was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews". He was almost if not outrightly blaming that! Indeed, he was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews but to what end? Was it not to an end that he might fulfill his dreams? Was it not to an end that the pictures, motion pictures and revelation he had seen abstractly would be fulfilled? Was it not to an end that what he has confessed in front of many witnesses would align with what would take place so that he won't be mocked or taken for a mere babbler? If he had seen all, he wouldn't have spoken that way and blamed the process by which God launched him out. Write it down in capital letters. God is not committed to your comfort but your movement to destination and he'll keep you moving until the day dawns and arrival is made.

So, whenever you pray saying, "God, let me achieve my dreams", you should leave the process in God's hands. He could fling you anywhere and by any means! You should be that humble. It's God who uses providence to bring Joseph to Egypt. I am telling you the truth, Jacob would not have released a seventeen years old to have gone to a foreign land let alone be sold into slavery. If God had consulted himself or even Joseph, that process would never sound reasonable or workable to them. So, the process is in God's hands. Trust Him as the Father with numerous good thoughts for you who can't mishaps you. What matters is your arrival and may you arrive. May God keep moving you with His hands and in the waters of His will until you get to the shore of your destiny and land at destination. 

Later in time, God's intention became so clear to Joseph. He now knew it was God who had put him on his feet and journey since then. He told his brethren, "you meant it for evil but God for good. He sent me here to preserve you with a great salvation." He was even comforting them (Gen.45:5). What a thing! This is Joseph who was saying he was secretly stolen away from the land of the Hebrew. That means he wouldn't have come if sought. No man in his right senses would want to take such route to destiny (being put in fetters and iron). He wouldn't have gone. He never wanted to be shipped or flown through that means. It was not acceptable to him. At that time he was saying that in prison, he was missing all the comfort of his father's house never knowing it just remains so little for his destiny's light to shine in its full strength. 

I pray for you that when you're at the edge of your breakthrough where your destiny should shine forth, you won't by a condescending act terminate it (by becoming inactive and uncooperative with the process) and if you do, may God's mercy and providence overrides it. So shall it be in Jesus' name. Look, write it down somewhere and confess to yourself today saying, "God is committed to keep me moving. He'll pay for my transport fare or plane ticket. He'll send or push me to where next is next. New doors shall open and I shall go on in ascension until I have made arrival in the large and wealthy place His soul intended when this journey long began. 

I am Olusola ADEJUMO M'Wings. I'm your witness and on behalf of God, I'm taught to say to you, "safe journey and safe arrival". In peace you're leaving this shore; in love, you'll find the next. When you do, remember your brethren and God's great act towards you!

PRAYER: I am [mention your name]. I am in God's hands and in God's mind. His plans for me don't miss but are perfectly executed. I take His transport and enjoy His providence. I will travel and arrive.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 22:16

Powered by Morning Wings Ministries. Click TRANSLATE on the blog & read in your own language. Enquire or counsel through +234 80 77 63 85 50 or +234 8137 04 68 12 II morningwingministry@gmail.com & Blog @ http://morningwingsministry.blogspot.com