There is something you should completely avoid. What can that be? It is called pride!
The reason why pride is such a dangerous sin can be found in some of these verses.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6 KJV)
Obviously, this won’t be a good place to be. When the Bible says God resisteth the proud, what that means is that God Himself will oppose and hinder a proud man.
Again you find the same thing here
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5 KJV)
In the Old Testament, Nebuchadnezzar became proud, and he was humbled, he became an animal.
In the New Testament, Herod made a prideful statement, he was eaten from inside out.
Pride is not a good commodity that should be found with you.
Do you want God to help you in life? Be humble!
It is such a thin line between humility and pride. If you are a humble person, and you know it, then you are no longer humble! Humble people don’t say it or flaunt it, others identify it in them and talk about it. The day you talk or boast about your humility, you already lost it, because you are now proud of your humility!
The greatest problem a proud person has is that he never owns up that he is proud. His pride will not allow him to own up that he is really proud, and even when he sometimes discovers, he is still proud of his pride! This is something you should completely avoid as a single.
A lot of people have lost opportunities of a godly relationship because of pride! The picture of the person they wanted to get married to, is far from those that are showing up, so they keep on rebuffing opportunities that come their way. The problem is that after a long time, they always end up with just anybody because they suddenly wake up to the reality that age is no longer on their side.
‘My husband has to be handsome like my pastor!’ Ask your pastor’s wife to show you her husband’s picture before they got married. You will almost want to tell her that she took a risk!
I have always told people, the most important factor in deciding who to get married to is God’s direction.
Physical attraction is very important as well, but that is not all to it. People change over time!
People change over time! In fact, some people get handsome, the older they get! While it is different for some, the older they get, the more they lose their rhyme and the magic!
You want to marry a Joseph? Would you have said yes to him while he was a slave in strange land, his destiny unsure and his dreams almost bothering on a psychological absurdity? Would you have married him when he was in the prison, sentenced to an indefinite prison life, together in the king’s maximum prison with hardened criminals convicted of murder?
My point is that what people are now, is not what they were before! I always tell men of God, they need to come together and do a thanksgiving service to God on behalf of their wives for saying “yes’ to them!
Have you seen the picture of the great man of God, Bishop Oyedepo as a single? You wouldn’t want to say Yes! But as a lady, you should be able to discern God’s direction even when it doesn’t look like it!
Almost every lady will want to marry a man as successful in ministry or as wealthy as Bishop. But Bishop said all he had then was his mouth and his vision!
The woman in the scripture says, I perceive this is a man of God!’
You know, but there is something about being humble enough to follow God’s plan for your life!
God sees ahead and sees what you cannot see. In His wisdom and love, He seeks to lead and direct us, if we are willing to obey and stay humble, we will enter into our wealthy place and we will be fulfilled not only in marriage but in life as well.
Ask yourself, am I really proud and hindering God’s plan unknowingly?
How do you know if you are proud? Here are a few tips:
You have an exaggerated opinion of yourself.
You have an opinion of everything and anything.
You are critical of almost everything and anything.
You have a problem with accountability. You are accountable to no one.
You see yourself as superior to your friends.
You are not submissive to any authority figures, including your pastors and parents.
You sometimes think you don’t need God, it is God that needs you!
Ask God to help you. Ask Him to open your eyes and show you all you need to know about yourself. Be humble enough to do that so that you will not delay yourself! As married couples, stay humble, so that you will not hinder God’s blessings! A lot of marriages have issues because the couple is proud and would refuse to apologise for offences for many days! Apologise quickly to each other! Be humble.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will stay humble for God to lift me up. I choose to completely avoid every form of pride.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Pray against the spirit of pride and ask God to help you completely avoid it.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6 KJV)
ACTIONPLAN FOR THE DAY Write down things to completely avoid.
Ps 40:3 (NLT) He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.
Nation/Church
Declare that your nation and the church experiences uncommon favour.
Ex 3:21(BBE) And I will give this people grace in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that when you go out you will go out with your hands full.
Pastors/Parents/Mentors
Pray for your pastors, parents and mentors with this Scripture
Gen 39:21 (NET) But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden.
Finance
Declare that you have uncommon favour in your finances
Ex 12:36 (GW) The LORD made the Egyptians generous to the people, and they gave them what they asked for. So the Israelites stripped Egypt of its wealth.
Family
Pray for your family with this Scripture
1 Kings 11:19 (ESV) And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
Warfare
Come against every scheme of darkness against your uncommon favour.
Ps 5:12 (KJV) For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Desire for the Month
Pray for your desires this month
Est 2:15 (ESV) Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
Psalm 91 Declaration
Ps 91:15 (CEV) When you are in trouble, call out to me. I will answer and be there to protect and honor you.
Blood Declaration
Declare that you have uncommon favour by the Blood of Jesus
Matt 26:28 (ERV) This wine is my blood, which will be poured out to forgive the sins of many and begin the new agreement from God to his people.
Phil 1:9 (TLB) My prayer for you is that you will overflow more and more with love for others, and at the same time keep on growing in spiritual knowledge and insight,
Healing
Declare healing over that sickness
Ps 91:10 (BBE) No evil will come on you, and no disease will come near your tent.
Favour/Mercy Today
Declare uncommon favour in your life.
Est 2:9 (TLB) Hegai, who was responsible for the harem, was very much impressed with her and did his best to make her happy; he ordered a special menu for her, favored her for the beauty treatments, gave her seven girls from the palace as her maids, and gave her the most luxurious apartment in the harem.
When they woke up, all of them trimmed their lamps, but sadly, the lamps of five of them were gone out!
You see, there comes a time when activities without priority on God’s presence will fail. There comes a time where energy and service bravado will fail! When the oil in the lamp goes out, it is the oil in your vessel that will save you!
When you are serving God passionately with your time, energy, and resources but are still embroiled in habitual sexual sins and other transgressions, you are just being foolish! Ouch! That hurts! But it is the truth! It is the truth that will make you free. I am not here to tell you what you want to read or what appeals to your ears, but to declare the undiluted word of God!
When you are seen as a spiritual person and others are even looking up to you yet you know you are empty when it comes to a personal relationship with God, you are being foolish! Ouch!
If you are a pastor that only read your Bible to preach, that is oil in the lamp and nothing more than foolishness! Ouch! You don’t read Bible to preach alone, you study it to live!
If you are a lady in the protocol or ushering in church, always prompt and active, and you don’t know what it means to practice the presence of God, neither do you read your Bible regularly, you are not being wise! Ouch!
If you are the most active in church and yet you live with a boyfriend or girlfriend, that is utter foolishness.
Mat 25:12 KJV But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
When they wanted the door opened to them, Jesus simply said he doesn’t know them! Is it possible that one can think He knows God and God does not know that person? Yes, I think it is possible.
Let us all get back to getting oil in our vessels regularly. That is how you won’t make mistake in your relationship.
That is how you will know the right person.
That is how not to miss your “bridegroom” That is how not to miss your spouse. That is how the ‘virgin’ in you will not miss it! The time when you are supposed to be ready and meet your ‘bridegroom,’ or your ‘spouse to be’ is not the time to go look for extra oil! It should have been in your vessel all the while!
Mat 25:10 KJV And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
When you’ve still not learnt how to prioritize your time, and you still don’t value God’s presence, you are still caught up with deceit and sexual sins, the implication is that you are not yet ready and the door of marriage can be shut! It is only those that are ready that will go with him into the marriage! The reason why there is a delay for some people when it comes to marriage is simply lack of oil in the vessel. It can literarily shut the door of marriage!
Oil in the vessel! That is how to keep your relationship.
Make up your mind this morning to be wise!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY Lord, I receive the wisdom to rule in the affairs of this world.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that God will give you wisdom to stay in His presence
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Mat 25:5 KJV While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Cut off your association with any person, place, or thing that is influencing you negatively.
Psalm 103:20 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.
Nation/Church
Declare words over your nation and the church – that they shine as lights
Matthew 5:14 (NKJV) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Pastors/Parents/Mentors
Pray for the family of your pastors, parents and mentors
Psalm 112:2-3 (NKJV) His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.
Finance
Declare words over your finances – that the abundance of the sea and the wealth of Gentiles come to you
Isaiah 60:5 (NKJV) Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
Family
Pray for your family with this Scripture
Psalm 128:2-3 (NLT) You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
Warfare
Battle with these words: the LORD is my support. He brings me into a broad place. He delivers me.
Psalm 18:18-19 (NKJV) They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.
Desire for the Month
Pray for your desires this month
Philippians 4:18 (NKJV) Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
Psalm 91 Declaration
Psalm 91:2 (NKJV) I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Blood Declaration
I declare these words by the Blood of Jesus: I am sealed by the Blood
Exodus 12:13 (NKJV) Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Ephesians 1:17-18 (NLT) asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called-his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
Healing
Declare healing over that sickness
Psalm 107:20 (NKJV) He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
Favour/Mercy Today
Pray with these words: that God’s mercy is with you forever
Psalm 40:11 (GNT) LORD, I know you will never stop being merciful to me. Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe.
Wisdom is powerful. In life, you are either operating in foolishness or wisdom. That is why the scripture talks about the wise virgins and the foolish virgins who went out to meet the groom. It is such a thin line that one can easily cross the line from wisdom to foolishness when care is not taken.
In the case of the five wise virgins and five foolish virgins, they were all born again and they all were expecting the bridegroom. They all go to church. They all have their lamps with them and the scripture says the word of God is a lamp unto our feet.
They all had oil in their lamps. We know that oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. They all know something about the Holy Spirit. They were all spiritual to an extent. We know that the parable is talking about believers because the scripture says
Mat 25:1 KJV Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
What made the five virgins foolish? The scripture tells us.
Mat 25:2-4 KJV (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: (4) But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
You can be attending service, be a worker, be all over the place, and yet be operating in foolishness! The foolish took their lamp but no oil. The wise took OIL IN THEIR VESSELS plus the oil in their lamps.
The word vessel means receptacle. It is talking about your spirit man. When you serve God, that is oil in your lamp. When you climb the pulpit to preach, that is oil in your lamp. When you preach in the bus, that is oil in your lamp. When you work tirelessly, that is oil in your lamp. All those are necessary and they surely have their place, but when you do all of that to the detriment of personal devotional time with God, you are being careless with oil in your vessel.
That you sing in the choir will not compensate for the time you ought to be in God’s presence in the morning. That you resume at your workplace very early every day of the week will not make God understand your prayerlessness. Nothing will ever replace the time you spend in God’s presence daily!
Mat 25:7 KJV Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
What happened after they trimmed their lamps?
What is the implication of having oil in the lamp and in the vessel? How does this concern your love life? How is it connected with you meeting your groom?
I will tell you tomorrow. Don’t miss it.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY Lord, I receive the wisdom to rule in the affairs of this world.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that God will prepare you for your groom
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Mat 25:5 KJV While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Cut off your association with any person, place, or thing that is influencing you negatively.
