Luke chap 21: 26-28 (NIV); During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”

I believe every Christian is brought up knowing this bible story. An angel appeared to a virgin named Mary, and today, we all celebrate the goodness of this visitation. I was reflecting on this passage this morning, and I realized this was a divine visitation from the Lord. It is not normal for someone to see angels always or have an encounter. It is something supernatural, and only God can do it.

Mary was a girl who was a virgin. She had a divine visitation from the Lord with a message that she was blessed and would conceive a son and be called the Son of the Most High.

Luke chap 1: 30-32 (NIV); The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace^. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor.

But Mary being a normal human being, was afraid. She was trying to comprehend how this could happen since she was a virgin. Mary was looking at her weakness at that moment in time. She was a virgin, and how could she bear a son without having gone through the normal life cycle of reproduction for human beings. But if we follow through the passage, the Holy Spirit is the answer to overcome this everyday life.

Luke chap 1: 35-36 ( NIV); ”The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason, the baby will be holy and called the Son of God.”

I realize the key to this divine visitation from the Lord is the power of the Holy Spirit upon Mary. When Mary acknowledged the power of the Holy Spirit upon her life, the rest is history. We celebrate Jesus today.

Luke chap 1: 38 ( NIV) ; Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.

I believe divine visitation from the Lord is personal to us today. You may have had an encounter ten years ago, one year ago, or even one week ago. I wish to just remind you that these divine visitations were real. I believe I’m speaking to a group of people here who are looking at their insecurities and weaknesses. I want to encourage my readers today to look to Jesus. If you had an experience of this divine visitation from the Lord, hold on unto it. It may not be sensible to the people outside, but it was real for u.

The key is to humble ourselves, put aside our logical thinking, and submit to the Lord. He is the Lord God of the Most High. I recalled myself having a divine visitation from the Lord a decade ago. It was something real, and it is still alive in my Spirit today. But challenges in life, may make me doubt myself so much, if it was a real divine visitation until the Lord spoke to me clearly today.

Habakkuk 2 : 3 (KJV) ; For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Recently, I had an opportunity to hear a dear loved one in my family struggling with a health issue share his testimony of God’s goodness in his life. I knew it was a divine visitation from the Lord upon His life. I knew His Spirit in Him was alive. ”

”Abba, I just want to thank you for this divine visitation upon my loved one. I give you glory and praise.”Amen.

Dear readers, let 2024 be a year where we receive divine visitations from the Lord. It is personal and supernatural, and I am assured we will be fulfilled from within. The Lord God is real. He is the Alpha and Omega of our lives. When we have tried all our ways to get things done in our logical ways, it is time to surrender to the Lord. Be a servant like how Mary was. Humble ourselves and Let His will take place in our lives.

The Key to moving along the vision of these divine visitations is the outpouring of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Say this today: ”I thank you, Lord, for this gift of divine visitations.”-R.J.JOHN.

Prayer for today: ”Abba Father, I surrender each of my readers unto you today, O Lord. I thank you, Lord, that this year will be a year of divine visitations from you, O Lord. The Life of God will be so real in their lives, and they will experience a supernatural touch from you, Lord.”Amen

Application: Recall back the divine visitation you had years ago.Pen it down in your journal once again. The Lord is faithful.

Partnership: If you have been blessed with this note, I encourage my readers to share it with their loved ones, subscribe, and keep me in prayer as I continue writing for the Lord. It is my desire to fulfill God’s call in my life. It is a journey of a dream. A journey dependent unto the Lord alone. If you wish to partner with me in bringing these writings to translate, publish, or edit them, feel free to contact me.

If you have been moved to partner financially, feel free to invest in this journey of writing for the Kingdom. Not my writings.His writings. He is using me as a vessel to bring His writings to Judea, Samaria, and the earth’s ends.

I am a simple girl from a small town with simple faith, wanting to do big for the Lord. I know with God on my side, nothing is impossible. Allow me to move to my next level of faith. If you believe in this dream, I invite you all to partner financially with me – R.J. John.

Bank: Maybank

Bank account number: 112054094018

Bank Payee Name: Rowena John

Overseas Transfer Swift Code: MBBEMYKL

Thank you, readers, and remain blessed.

Contact author today: r.j.john25@gmail.com

James chap 4: 7-8;  Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  

This phrase kept coming to me as I wrote my note today.”Resist the devil, and He will flee.”

Many times I ask myself how I resist the devil. Why do we need to resist the devil?

As I meditated upon the verse above, I realized the importance of resisting the devil and submitting to God. How do we actually submit to God?

Submit means we are to surrender our whole self unto the Lord. We acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ upon our life. Have you been in a situation where you have been crying daily and struggling? You are trying to pray and pray, and still, you don’t see any positive results. What does the Bible ask us to do?

He is asking us to Submit unto the Lord. Hence when we talk about submission, it is no longer about our plans. It is the Lord’s plan.

Proverbs chap 3: 5-6 ;

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
     and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight

How do we submit to him? We have to not lean on our understanding. We cannot perceive situations based on logical situations. Sometimes it is essential to grow closer to the Lord and submit unto him, and He will direct u.

The key to resisting the devil is to submit unto the Lord. Until we submit a situation to the Lord, we cannot resist the devil victoriously. If we look back at James chap 4: 8, the Lord is asking us to purify our hearts of double-minded sinners.

Who are double-minded people?

The same person who claims to submit to God but next time, you see themselves making the same mistake over and over again.

For example, you may have an anger management issue. This Sunday, you are in Church trying to submit to God. The next three days, you were upset over a situation, and you start cursing God. Isn’t this a double-minded person? How can this particular person submit unto the Lord and resist the devil?

The Lord has reminded me that 2024 is my year of perfect timing. When things do not go according to our own way, we tend to be angry, frustrated, or maybe disappointed. Hence we go back to the same cycle again. Not coming out of the circle of disappointments.

Cheer up readers. In 2024, let us take the stand to continue praising God with our lips no matter what. Trust God and believe Him in whatever situation, as His plans are more significant than ours.

You may be someone in a deep valley right now. You may not see any logical situations to emerge from the particular situation. It can be health-related issues, finance, or even strongholds and bondage that have followed you through the years of your growing up. Put it off this 2024. Don’t carry this baggage with you in 2024.

Make up your mind; you are never going to be a double-minded person. Trust God.

If you are in a mess, cheer up, This mess will be a huge miracle. There has to be a mess for God to undo the mess.

If you are in a desert, he will prepare streams of water for you.

If you are in the Deep Valley, it is totally okay because this year will be where you will see victorious seasons every year of your life. This is simply because the Lord says this is your year of Perfect Timing.

I was personally struggling with delays in many areas of my life. I thought I was submitting unto the Lord, but then I realized I did not learn how to resist the devil. Which is simply becoming a double-minded person. One minute I am praising God. Another minute, I am taking the battle with me. The Holy Spirit has to remind me over and over again that ”Thebattle belongs to the Lord R.J. Stop trying to solve the struggle yourself.”

This 2024 let this year be one where we take giant strides and make decisions in life. Trust God like never before. And watch yourself fly like an eagle like never before. This time, stop flying alone. The Lord God, who created you for a purpose, leads the way. Stop being double-minded. Resist the devil today! Enough is enough!

Say this today: ”I submit my life unto you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, that I resist the devil today.”-R.J.JOHN

Prayers for today: ”Abba Father, I thank you, Lord, for 2024. This year will be celebrating your goodness in my readers’ lives.I pray, Lord for each of them, that they would be able to submit, resist the devil and refuse to be a double minded person by grace of God. Amen.

Application

1) Declare faith-filled proclamations upon your life daily.

Partnership: If you have been blessed with this note, I encourage my readers to share it with their loved ones, subscribe, and keep me in prayer as I continue writing for the Lord. It is my desire to fulfill God’s call in my life. It is a journey of a dream. A journey dependent unto the Lord alone.If you wish to partner with me in bringing these writings either to translate, publish, or edit them, feel free to contact me.

If you have been moved to partner financially, feel free to invest in this journey of writing for the Kingdom. Not my writings.His writings. He is using me as a vessel to bring His writings to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

I am a simple girl from a small town with simple faith, wanting to do big for the Lord. I know with God on my side, nothing is impossible. Give me an opportunity to move to my next level of faith. If you believe in this dream, I invite you all to partner with me – R.J.JOHN

Bank: Maybank

Bank account number: 112054094018

Bank Payee Name: Rowena John

Overseas Transfer Swift Code: MBBEMYKL

Thank you, readers, & Remain blessed.

Contact author today: r.j.john25@gmail.com

 Ecclesiastes 3:11 ( NIV) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Today, I was moved to write on time. I believe one of the critical assets in life is timing. There is a time to sow. And time for harvest.Have you all experienced delays in life? It can be any form of delay, but in 2024, the Lord reminded me that this year will be the year of perfect timing.

It can be a delay in health conditions.

Delay in studies or carrier progression.

Delay in financial provision.

Delay in marriage or being a parent.

Delay in dreams materializing.

Delay in ministry.

It can be any form of delay. But the Holy Spirit reminded me that 2024 is the year of perfect timing. We must remember that the Lord is a Lord of generations.

Psalm 135: 13;  Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations

As I meditated upon this verse, I realized that the Lord we serve is the Lord of generations. He is the Lord of Abraham and Isaac. He is the Lord of our fathers, grandparents, and great-grandparents. He has been faithful yesterday. He will remain faithful today and continue remaining faithful in generations to come.

Below are a few verses I have taken from the Bible to help us understand the Lord of Perfect timing. Do not be disheartened if we don’t see certain things not being accomplished. But instead, rejoice in the Lord, knowing 2024 is your best year yet!

Habakkuk 2 : 3 (KJV); For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Genesis chap 18: 14 (ESV); Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Acts chap 1: 7 (KJV); And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Romans chap 8: 28 ( NIV); And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Lamentations 3: 25( ESV); The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Jeremiah chap 29: 11 ( NIV); For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Dear readers, let this year be the year we trust God more. Let us acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ upon us surrendering our timing unto His hands. When we try to control so much based on our goals and visions we have in life, we will come to a stage in life where we know we need to let go. It is best to surrender them unto the Lord. It is still early 2024. Let go of our timing into God’s hands. It was never according to our timings. The Lord is the Lord of perfect timing. He even brought you to the world based on His timing. It was never your timing. He is faithful throughout all generations. Be hopeful. We have the Lord of Perfect timing. Rejoice!

It is a new year again, and I asked the Lord what I should write unto Him today. The Lord reminded me to start the year right. That is to Praise God.

Psalm 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath Praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD

I encourage my readers today to position ourselves right in 2024. Start the year by praising the Lord.

What does Praise actually mean?

Cambridge Dictionary defines praise as honor, worship, and expression of admiration.

I believe the word praise means something different to each of us. Some may take praise for dancing and singing out aloud. Some may take praise as pure worship. Some may even take praise through their music and art.

I asked the Lord, how can I praise you this New Year?

The Holy Spirit spoke deep within me,” You just need to write R.J.As you write, you praise Me. Your notes are your weapon.”

I was taken aback when I suddenly realized all these notes penned down were actually praising the Lord. Admiring the Lord.Worshipping the Lord through these R.J. Inspirational Notes.

The Holy Spirit reminded me that the notes will be elevated to another level this year. The Holy Spirit reminded me to continue writing as the weapon of praise.

What does the Bible actually say? When do we truly praise? In my devotion today, I realized the Lord has many instances in the Bible where he has called his beloved to praise. It is either done personally or corporately. It is either for adoration, worship, or saving us from enemies.

Psalm 21: 13 (NIV); Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might

Psalm 18:3 (KJV); I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 134: 1-2 (NIV); Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.

Today I am writing this note knowing these notes are my Weapon of praise.

” I thank you, Lord, for who You are. I praise you, Lord. You are so magnificent. I thank you, Lord. You are the Lord of Generations. I praise you, Lord, You are a miracle-working God. I praise you, Lord, for You are everlasting. I praise you, Lord, for you so magnificent. I praise you, Lord. You are the Lord that heals. I praise you, Lord. You are the Lord that restores. I praise you, Lord. You are the Lord who resurrects dreams. I praise you, Lord; You are my everything. I praise you, Lord. You are the Alpha and Omega of my life.”

Dear readers, take time to Praise God in 2024. Position ourselves to know our everlasting Father. Praising the Lord is our most powerful weapon.

Happy New Year to all my beloved readers.Have the most life-changing experience in 2024 as you praise your way into 2024.The Lord is Good.

Praise God-R.J.JOHN

Today the word Favour came deep into my spirit. I opened my Bible and searched for verses related to favor of God.

I would like to just share a few verses that I came across.

Proverbs chap 3:4 (NIV); And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Psalm 30: 5 (ESV); For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

This favor of God is a gift from God. We don’t earn for it. We don’t struggle for it. Nor do we pray hard for blessing. It is a gift from the Lord. This favor is a blessing. It is a gift for us who know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

Psalm 3: 8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people.

Today is still the Christmas season, and we are approaching the end of 2023. Why don’t we look back and thank God for all the divine favor the Lord has given us. Many times we don’t realize it. This is because we focus too much on our life challenges that we cannot see the favor of God. My prayer is, as my readers read my note today, that your spiritual eyes are opened to see the blessing of God upon your life.

The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. We often think he wants to take the health, finances, or relationships from humans. But the reality is that the devil wants to destroy the little faith the Lord has given us. He wants to take away the Word in Your Spirit. He wants to destroy the Lord’s destiny in your life. This is so real, and I believe many Christians go through various different challenges in life. Remember, the real culprit.

I just want to share an experience of a real-life experience I had. It was one night, as I was asleep in a hotel, I felt a substantial, heavy lifted hand trying to take out something from my heart. The hands felt so real, and I just couldn’t explain it. It was as if it was stealing something from the heart. The feeling was natural, and I woke up and rebuked the spirit. I declared Psalm 91, and later on, I slept. But the sense was real, and I asked the Lord why this happened and its significance.

A few weeks later, I realized I had started losing faith in the Lord. It was as if I lost hope in the Lord. It was a stone feeling. Then I realized it was something spiritual; it was a demonic spirit trying to take away the faith I had in the Lord. It was trying to steal the hope I had in the Lord.

Today the Lord reminded me that nobody can do it. Because I belong to the Lord. What a lie that I have given room to the devil. I have an inheritance from the Lord. This is the truth. The moment we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, this gift of favor follows us through. Refuse to give any room to the devil to steal it. Do not allow it.

If you are going through particular challenges in your life, find like-minded Christians to pray together. This is so important in our Christian growth. One of the fundamentals of our journey in Christ is we cannot walk alone.

Praying together and intercessing together are essential. Do not allow the Devil to make you think you do not have the favor of God. Shift from the challenges in life and focus on the Lord. His favor upon us.

The devil wants us to believe we do not have an inheritance from the Lord. He will try to steal as much from the deepest part of your being. The moment we acknowledge it, whether we like it or not, we would see things slowly crumbling down. Rebuke it in the name of Jesus. Pick ourselves up again.

The truth is, the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the favor of God follows us through. This flavor is special. It is a gift. Do not frustrate the blessing of God.

Be excited for this favor of God.

I speak blessing and favor upon each of my readers today. I pray this is a gift for each of us this Christmas season.

Remember this, despite whatever you are personally going through, rejoice as this battle will give God all glory, and remember this favor of God. This favor will bring you to places. We can’t stop it because this is how the favor of God works.

Acts chap 1: 8; But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is simply because we are called to be a blessing. Acknowledge this gift. Rejoice for this gift. Move forward as we end 2023 strong and move into 2024 with the favor of God.

Say this today: I have the favor of God, R.J.JOHN.

Prayer for today: ”Abba, I thank you, Lord, for your divine favor upon me all these years. I give you glory for 2023. Thank you, Lord, for this gift of freedom upon me that you are so real in my life. I surrender my life into your hands, that you use me for your Kingdom. I pray, Lord, that these testimonies give you back the glory. I also surrender my readers into your Hands. They walk in divine favor. Help us meditate on the favor of God as we end 2023 strong.

Application

1. Find like-minded Christians to pray together this week.
2. Spend time in fasting
3. Be away from social media and give the Lord your best as you end 2023.
4. Meditate on the favor of God. Listen to sermons on favor of God this week as the year ends. For a sermon, you can listen here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg4ndmPW_SY
5. Rejoice. The Favor of God is upon you.

A new song was released by Nataniel Bassey, a famous Nigerian Gospel Artist, a few weeks ago. This song is filled with the spirit, and I believe, like how it blessed me, would change my readers too. I encourage my readers to listen to this song as you read my note today.

As I was listening to the song, my spirit was very moved by the presence of God, reminding me how powerful is the Lord God. This song reminds me of how we fight our battles. I listened to this song a few times, and I felt the Lord was reminding me to take my posture of worship right.

When things don’t go according to our plans, we often get discouraged and disappointed, forgetting that the Lord is God. Yahweh Sabaoth is a name for God that emphasizes His power and might. It is a power that cannot be comprehended by human understanding. It combines God’s personal name, Jehovah (Yahweh), with the Hebrew word Sabaoth, meaning “host” or “multitude.” The Old Testament records this name more than 270 times, and it often has a military connotation. It denotes God’s universal sovereignty over every spiritual and earthly army. So Jehovah Sabaoth means “The Lord of Hosts.”

Have you all been in a situation where you realize it is the same cycle of events around you? You try something. Then, it doesn’t work out. You fail. Then you try again, and once again, you fail. From months, it moves to years and probably through generations. Why does this happen? Are our lives meant to be such, or should we break the cycle? How do we break this cycle?

This is when the Lord reminded me of who He is. He is our Yahweh Sabaoth. One of the scriptures that records Yahweh Sabaoth is in 1st Samuel chap 1:3.

Ist Samuel 1 : 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.

The Lord Almighty here refers to how magnificent our Lord is. So, if we follow through to read this passage of scripture, it records that Elkanah went yearly to worship the Lord Almighty. He had two wives. Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah had no children. She was told to be barren and unable to conceive. The people around her teased and irritated her, making her sad and disappointed. Scripture records that she wept.

However, one day, she cried out unto the Lord as she made a vow unto the Lord.

1st Samuel 1: 11 ” And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.

Hannah cried out to the Lord Almighty in her misery and disappointment. The Lord is in all power and understanding; only he can open Hannah’s womb. True enough, if we read the following verses, Hannah did conceive.

 Ist Samuel 1: 20 ” So Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son over time. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

In this Bible Story of Hannah, we see that Hannah was barren, and there was no possible solution that could be made possible for her. I realize that Hannah took her posture of worship right. She knew medical science couldn’t help her at that time. She knew the people around her couldn’t help her. She knew nothing else could help her except the Lord God himself. Despite people teasing her and making fun of her barrenness, she didn’t choose to fret; instead, she cried out to the Lord. She took the correct posture of worship. She went to the Lord and nobody else.

Yahweh Sabaoth reminds me of how an army is getting ready to face its battles. When they get ready, they are only focussed to win the situation. They don’t back off knowing the enemies are stronger.They engage in the training with one focus of winning over the situation.They do their daily workouts. They plan their strategies to defeat the enemies. They take practical steps in defeating the enemies. They focus on their strengths and not their weakness. They wake up early in the morning to prepare for their battles.

So, as Christians going through a particular situation in life, what should we do? I encourage us to take the right posture, just as Hannah did.Just as how the armies get ready for their battles.Hannah was in a battle.But she took the right posture.She knew her Yahweh Sabaoth.

We must continue to build our fort strong. We must remember we must be able to fight our enemies through the grace of God. The biggest mistake most of us make is to assume we are fighting battles alone. We remove God from the picture. This is when we become disappointed and frustrated in life.We sometimes forget that the Lord is there to protect, heal, and provide for us.

The Holy Spirit reminded me that the Lord I worship is Yahweh Sabaoth. Why are we fearful or feel timid over situations in life?

As we read the Word of God and get to know God more profoundly, the Lord will give us the right strategies to break whatever cycle we are going through. The people around you may tease you. The people around you may irritate you. But remember this: The Lord is with you. With this right mindset, we can go very far in life.

We must come to the Lord,knowing He is the Lord Almighty.We must come to the Lord knowing he is our Yahweh Sabaoth. We must come to the Lord knowing Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives. Do not come to the Lord assuming,he cannot solve our situations in life. We must approach the Lord knowing He is the Supernatural God.

Friends, the Lord is faithful.-R.J.JOHN

This whole week, the tune of this song, Jehovah You are the Most High God, kept ringing in my mind. I would like to encourage my readers to listen to the lyrics of this song as you read my note for today.

Psalm 57:2 (NLT) I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.

The Hebrew word most often translated as ”God Most High” is Elohim ( or EL) Elyown.

In the title LORD Most High, the Hebrew words are Elohim Yahweh. When we declare that our God is the Most High God, it means there is no god, no idol or created being that should be worshipped or exalted above Yahweh, the Lord, because He is superior in every way.

Sadly, why are Christians going through some form of suffering or struggles in life? What is the key to overcoming the sufferings of a Christian? What is the solution to a struggle? I am dedicating these note to my fellow Christian brothers and sisters today.

You may be in a financial situation and assume your solution is financial freedom.

You may receive a bad medical report, and you assume your solution is your health being restored.

You may be caught in a relationship issue, and you assume your solution is to end the relationship and return to a cave where you don’t have to engage with people.

People come from different walks of life, and everyone has a story to tell. Each has a level of struggle, but I want to share good news with all my readers: There is a solution to all of this.

The solution is to recognize our Jehovah, the Most High God.

When we talk about recognizing, it means acknowledging what our Jehovah can do.

We are in a season where God wants us to know Him as the God Most High. Oftentimes, we get discouraged and disappointed, and indirectly, we turn away from the Lord to find other solutions to solve our matters. Most of the time, we see God being silent, so we try all our human way possible to solve a situation.

Most of the time, the Lord wants us to realign how we acknowledge Him. Are we really recognizing Him as the Lord Most High, or without us realizing it, have we idolized our challenges as more significant than God?

Someone once told me the only lifeline we have with God is prayer. We recognize His existence as we approach the Lord Most High in worship. We must know who we are coming too. We are approaching our Jehovah. We come to a phase of total surrender and awe, knowing He will care for our needs.

The God Most High is inviting us to know Him like never before. The first step to knowing the God Most High is to know He exists. It is difficult to see Him working in our lives without faith that He exists.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. With faith, we can move mountains and change situations in life.

So the first step is to recognize the existence of this God Most High.

The next step is to acknowledge His position in everything else. We cannot know Him while trying to place Him alongside other gods.

Exodus chap 20: 3 ( NIV) ” You shall have no other gods before me.”

Lastly is to continuously recognize the power of the Blood of Jesus Christ shed for each of us today. This is not a one-day process. It is a lifelong journey. Recognizing the power of this blood overshadows whatever strongholds or demonic spirits that have captured you and your family for years.

A born-again Christian who keeps looking back, searching for his family’s generation’s sin, or playing the blame game of the past can never move forward in life. A born-again Christian who keeps resentment towards his or her loved ones makes it difficult to move forward in life. A born-again Christian who is not open to receiving corrections in life is difficult to progress in life. Born-again Christians who have unforgiveness and bitterness in life find it difficult to move forward in life, and they have allowed their hearts to be filled with weeds. A born-again Christian who has focussed on the mountain of issues in their lives instead of their Jehovah of the Most High, will always have a victim mindset.

We must take full authority over the situation in life and move forward. We reach the impossible because the Lord is with us. Going back to our lifeline is essential. Going back to prayer.Going back to fellowship with the Lord. The blood of Jesus has the power to release the grip of the great curse.

If you are someone here who has been cursed or has kept confessing that you are cursed, or people have cursed you, and life situations have made you in such a situation, pause, stop, and recognize this Jehovah of the Most High. Why focus on the curses or these people when you have Jehovah of the Most High?

When we recognise the supreme power of Jehovah of the Most High and we acknowledge what can this supreme power do, things will have to change for us. This is because we have got the keys to open the locked doors.

What is the key, then? The key is to acknowledge the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. If you feel trapped, the only way to freedom is to receive the gift of salvation.

You may be a Christian from a young age, but maybe it is time to rededicate your life to God again. It is essential to open our hearts again to receive, be equipped, and empower others. You may be in a cave too long. You cannot live life alone. If you are doing this, the devil has trapped you in this manipulative lie.

God is bringing us to a season of reconnecting with fellow believers again and wants to establish His plans in our lives. Trust God once more and let Him bring you into a season of being His witness. Let God work!

Prayer for today: ”Abba, I thank you, Lord for grace. Your grace is sufficient for each of us. I thank you, Lord, You are the Most High God. I give you praise and glory that you are the Lord of the Most High God. As my readers and I go into a journey of rededication, our lives unto you Lord,Help us experience you like never before.I give you glory and praise. Amen

Application:

1. Spend time listening to the audio Bible.
2. Spend time in prayer with an expectant of meeting the Lord Most High

I was reflecting on a term today. Disappointment.

Have you come across any form of disappointment in your life?

It can be a disappointment because we didn’t achieve something based on our timeline.

It can be disappointing because of a health issue we are battling. We cried out to the Lord for healing, but the recovery didn’t occur.

It can be disappointing when we see our bank balance and are burdened with so much of commitments and debts in life.

It can be disappointing. When issues at work make us stressed or tense.

It can be disappointing when we lash out our anger at our loved ones at home.

Everyone has a story to tell. What does the Bible say about how we handle these disappointments in life?

These last few days have been a very challenging week for me. Tears were just flowing down, and I couldn’t stop them. It was just disappointments.

I didn’t know how to handle them. And so I decided to WRITE unto the Lord.

I dedicate this note to the Lord and each person going through some form of disappointment in life. Only you and God know. Nobody else knows.

The Holy Spirit brought me back to the story of Adam and Eve. When God, in all his power, gave an instruction to them to tend the Garden and not eat the fruit from the Tree of Life.

Despite the availability of everything in the garden, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Did they do it themselves? The Serpent misled them into making the wrong decisions in life. At the end of the day, it was them that made the choice.

But we must be aware of who is the real culprit.

Genesis chap 2: 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman,” Did God really say,” You must not eat from any tree in the garden?”

When God found out Adam and Eve disobeyed Him, instead of taking away His presence from them, God followed through with them in their life story.

Genesis chap 1 : 21: ”The Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”

Scripture doesn’t record anywhere that God was disappointed, but I believe there was some form of disappointment that took place. But God still clothed them and did not leave them alone.

The story of Genesis is the beginning of humankind. Generations have come forth since the fall in the Garden of Eden. God blessed each generation despite struggles and challenges in life.

Humankind goes through a life cycle from womb to tomb.

What does this womb-to-tomb mean?

In the process of becoming who we are, and as we travel (journey) through life, from conception to death (womb to tomb), we change and mature physically, psychologically, and socially.

Each generation had a life cycle, which is ” womb to tomb.”

Because God is so merciful, he wants to SAVE the world.

He didn’t want the world to continue suffering, and he wanted humankind to experience the presence of God.

What did God do?

John 3 : 16 For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

This Scripture promises everlasting life.Eternal life.

In any form of disappointment in life, we must never forget the Lord sent his only son, Jesus, to save us.

The devil manipulated Eve, and he is still doing it today.

We must not believe in the lies of the devil, and whatever the challenges are, we are to look upon Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. Stop playing God. Let God be God.

As we take daily small steps in our journey call life, always remember to seek the Lord and remember He is in control of all situations.

With each disappointment, there is a testimony.

In every dry valley, the Lord sends rain.

In every deep valley, the Lord stretches out His hands to save us.

This is the nature of God. He is full of love and compassion.

The Word of God is the truth. As we read through the Scriptures, it is my desire for myself and each of my readers to experience the presence of God once again.

Sometimes, the best is closing our room doors. Going back to the secret place again. Opening the Bible, sing praises, and just sing and praise God once again.

Remember, God saved the world by sending his son Jesus.

Jesus died for each of our sins, and He has resurrected and returned to the right hand of the Father.

Today, we have the Holy Spirit in us. As we acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, this journey called life becomes exciting. It became enjoyable.

Every challenge turns into a miracle. It is no longer about me, myself and I. It is for the glory of Jesus Christ. Our purpose is Jesus Christ.

With this belief system rooted deep inside us, trust me, we will go far in life.

The key is recognizing who we have now. We have the Holy Spirit.

God is God. He will never leave us, not forsake us. His presence will follow us through. Trust Him like never before in this decade of your life!

Say this today: I give my disappointments unto the Lord-R.J.JOHN

Prayer for today: ” Abba, I thank you, Lord, you are merciful. I praise you that you are the Lord who journeys through each and every season of our lives. Help us look unto you. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit.Amen

Application:

1. Go back to the very basics. Seek the Lord like never before. Watch Him work in your life as you take baby steps in knowing the Lord once again.

The word HOPE came deep into my spirit today. I just knew I had to write something related to HOPE in my note today. I pray and hope this note today will be blessed by my readers today.

Are you someone here who had HOPE in areas of your life, yet you did not see it come to pass?

Are you someone here who had HOPE in getting certain things done in life, but realities in life have pushed you hard in another direction?

Are you someone here who is losing HOPE in situations in life?

We often tend to be disappointed in life, and the devil steals our slight hope in Jesus Christ.

God is the source of our hope. From cover to cover, Scripture underscores that when everything else crumbles, God remains steadfast. The Bible firmly establishes God as the foundational source of hope for believers, both in His eternal promises and through the manifestation of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Psalms 33:18

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.

Today, I invite my readers to meditate on the scripture above. The scripture promises us the eye of the Lord is on those who have hope in His mercy. Often, we give up hope. We give up hope that situations in life will change. We give up thinking there is no solution. We give up feeling depressed and disappointed in life.

We wake up the next morning facing the same situations in life. You may feel depressed, demotivated, and just unable to move further.

But the Scripture promises to never lose hope and the eyes of the Lord are on those who still have hope. God cannot move situations in life when we lose hope.

Let us look at the story of Jesus healing the blind man.

John chap 9: 1-6

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed and came home seeing.

This scripture clearly explains to us this boy was blind since birth. Imagine being blind since birth? What hope did the boy have? It is total darkness to him.

Sadly, despite having eyes to see, many of us are like this blind boy here. Situations in life may bring us into a position where we only see darkness. We can’t see God through our situation. The Devil has blinded us in many areas, and as a result, we lose hope.

The scripture also further explains that neither did anyone sinned. His man or his parents. Many of us tend to find faults in our generation. It is whether the generation sinned that the consequence is such. This scripture clearly explains that it was the disciples who asked Jesus. Who sinned? The disciples who moved and journeyed together with Jesus, listening to his teachings, are the ones who actually asked Jesus who sinned? It is the same people who listened to Jesus’s teachings are the ones who are assuming that the blindness was related to generation sin.

How ironic is this? The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away all our sins, but sadly, many Christians are still looking back and finding faults in their generation. They are busy finding the sins of their ancestors, forgetting the power of the blood of Jesus on the cross. When God takes us 5 steps ahead, we are still looking back. Never ending cycle.

With this mindset, it is tough to move forward in life.

We must know the moment we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, He came to restore us. He came to reveal to us how big God is. He came to give us the Light. He came to bring us out from the generation of Adam. Jesus Christ came to find us.

The blind man was blind since birth; he had hope to see again. Jesus Christ came to heal him. It is as simple as that.

Science today cannot heal a blind man, but Jesus Christ can.

Spend time knowing the Lord. If the devil has been trying to steal your little hope, do not give up; look towards the Lord. As you spend time with the Lord, your little hope will be rejuvenated.

Find faith like believers like you to instill hope in you. Do not let the devil snatch away the little hope you have. For Jesus, whatever the struggle you have now, it is easy. It is temporary.

Matthew chap 19:26; Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Say this today: Have HOPE!-R.J.J.JOHN

Prayer for today: Abba Father, I thank you, Lord; you are the Lord who restores. I commit my readers and I into your hands. Abba, I thank you for removing the blindness from us and helping us to see your goodness in our lives. I pray that Hope will be rejuvenated in our lives, knowing you are the Lord of our lives.

Application:

1. Spend time with the Lord. Go through the miracles of the Bible one by one this week.

Today, the Holy Spirit reminded me that God is merciful. I would like to encourage all my readers today by reminding each of us that God is merciful. It doesn’t matter how much we have drifted away from Him; he would never leave or forsake us.

Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Know, then, that the Lord, your God, is God: the faithful God who keeps covenant mercy to the thousandth generation toward those who love him and keep his commandments.” 

Ephesians 2:4-5 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved.”

Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.”

I grew up in a very religious Christian background. Every Sunday morning services, church family prayers, and youth fellowships, but deep down in me, I knew something was missing. There was this longing within me of wanting more of God.

I was 12 years old when the priest in my home church prayed for me, and as he touched me, I knew there was something beyond this physical realm. My home church faced the beach, and I remember walking out from the church and facing the beach then. I knew something supernatural happened then, but I couldn’t comprehend it. I didn’t tell anyone about my encounter back then. I did not realize it was my first encounter with the Holy Spirit.

Years passed by, and God brought me abroad to continue my studies, and that nation changed my whole belief system. I had a personal encounter with the Lord, and I just knew this Lord was real. A supernatural visitation and a gift from the Lord empowered me to take the call to write for Him. Since then, I have started writing for the Lord.

But, realities in life pushed me hard after returning to my home country. Personal challenges that took me away from the Gospel, led me to make wrong choices in my life. My heart became bitter and broken, my soul became weary and tired, and I couldn’t move forward.

I started focussing on the storms in my life, forgetting that the Lord was there, all the while calming the storms. I felt alone, and it wasn’t easy. It was a struggle as I tried to push away these storms.

Yesterday, a good friend of mine prayed for me and shared with me a vision ;

”The Lord is with you in this boat . The boat is sailing, and despite storms, The Lord is in the boat.”

The vision reminded me so much of my own life. I realized I focussed too much on the storms, forgetting the Lord would bring me to pass. As I focussed on the storms, it stole my joy within.

Today, I encourage my readers to be hopeful no matter the storms in your lives, and always remember the Lord is in your boat, helping you to sail through.

The storms can be anything you are facing today. Health issues, career issues, financial issues, marital issues, relationship issues, loneliness, wrong ideas and thought patterns, stagnation, fear of men, etc.It can be anything!

No matter the brokenness or struggle that any of you are facing, let us shift our focus to the Lord and not the storms in life.

Today, I encourage my readers to put your trust in the Lord. The Lord is preparing each of us for a new season. He has prepared us. He would not let us go nor forsake us. He is faithful. He is good, and He is merciful. It has nothing to do with how much we have prayed. It has nothing to do with how much we have sacrificed. There is a new season where we just stand and receive His miracles.

The Lord reminded me that He wants to bring me into another new season. This season, He has prepared me to experience His goodness like never before just because God is merciful.

Many of us try so hard to change situations in life. We try many ways to do things. Forgetting the Lord is with us the whole time. I believe I am in a season of just receiving God’s mercy.

I would like to encourage all my readers to shift their focus to the goodness of God and be in a posture of experiencing God’s mercy.

We must remember that by God’s mercy alone, He would do great and mighty things in our lives.

1st Corinthians chap 2: 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Say this today: I thank you, Lord, you are merciful.-R.J.JOHN

Prayer for today: Abba Father, I thank you, Lord, that you are merciful. You are so merciful that you would never leave us nor forsake us. I commit my readers to your hands, and I pray, Lord, this season will be a season of experiencing our mercy like never before. I thank you, Lord; the storms in life will be shut off in Jesus’ name Amen.

Application

1. Take some time every day to study the Mercy of God. Meditate on various scriptures from the Bible that focus on the Mercy of God.