THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (TUESDAY 04TH August 2026)

“And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Luke 22:31-32 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 216TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Life is not always smooth and serene. There are times that one face very troubling things no matter how close they are to God. Actually, closeness to God does not eliminate the perils of life, it only helps one to sail through them and come out well.

The most difficult times to handle are hard times. For instance, people can handle the birth of a child even if the mother went through excruciating pains to give birth to the child. But people cannot handle the death of a child. People can handle the success of someone they look up to but cannot handle the death of the same person.

The most difficult times to handle are hard times.

Bible prophecy tells us of the bad things that will be happening in our days. I call those things the horrors of the last days. It spoke of nations that will seek to eliminate other nations for nothing that make sense. It spoke of wars and rumors of wars. It spoke of so much, and then said, “he that endures to the end shall be saved.”

That tells us that one of the faith positions to take when some hard times comes is endurance. But without a decision to keep the faith regardless of one’s situation, one will not be able to endure. So, this morning we will be refreshing our hearts on keeping the faith. I hope we are ready.

I PRAY THE LORD BLESS US BY ENLIGHTENING OUR MINDS. AMEN AND AMEN!!

To start with, it is important to always remember what the Bible says. One of the major things the Bible said is, “the just shall live by faith.” It did not say the just shall live by struggles, fear, pain, or anything negative. Neither did He said the just shall live by prayer, fasting, giving, singing, or going to church, as important as all these things are. He said the just shall live by faith.

You see, going to church, praying, fasting, or giving, are all meaningful if driven by faith. There are also times when praying, fasting, or going to church help us release our faith. That is when the works of the Holy Spirit comes in to enable all that. If these acts of worship are not driven by faith, they should be birthing faith in us.

If neither of that is involved, then we are in religion. You can not keep a faith you do not have. You must first have the faith in order to keep it.

That is why the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire is especially important to our walk with GOD. It is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire that makes our prayers, fasting, giving, singing, and even going to Church impactful. These acts of worship have a way of becoming faith building tools under the power and influence of the holy ghost.

The Bible says.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 20-21 NKJV

The importance of faith to a Child of God is perhaps known better by the devil than the Children of God today. The fierceness of Satan’s attacks against our faith, and the weak response we usually give to faith building, proves it all.

Many in Church today will prefer building where to live or their reputations instead of their faith. Others will prefer building their careers, businesses, families, and all they desire without giving a thought to their faith. We forget that when God says the “Just shall live by faith,” He made faith building the most important thing in the life of a Child of GOD.

IT IS THE FAITH OF THE JUST THAT WILL SUSTAIN HIS LIFE, HOUSE, CAREER, BUSINESS, FAME, FAMILY, AND ALL HE DESIRES TO BUILD IN LIFE.

Faith is the foundation on which all those should be built on. In simple terms, God designed that our lives be sustained by our faith. That is why Satan attacks it ferociously. Our devotional text today says it all.

The spirit realm sometimes seems to be a complicated realm. When Satan asked for Peter, to shift him like wheat, his rising profile, business, or family was not the subject of his attack, Peter’s faith was the subject of attack. And when Jesus moved to provide a prayer cover for him, He did not pray for his business, fame, or family not to fail.

He prayed that his faith should not fail because that was the focus of the attack. If his faith fails, everything about him will fail. A major highlight in the text says, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

I have faced a lot of intense warfare in life. Mine had nothing to do with battles around anything earthly, but eternal. And those are the most intense battles. But in all of them, I realized that the subject of every satanic attack directly or indirectly during those moments has always been my faith. That is why I strive to protect it during those moments.

We must realize that any attack of the enemy has one focus and that focus is bringing down our faith. The quicker we come to terms with this the better. Until our faith fails, our businesses will not fail. Until our faith fails, our marriages or family will not fail.

Until our faith fails, our ministries or callings will not fail. The life of the redeemed of the LORD is designed by GOD to be lived by faith.

NOW WHAT IS FAITH? FAITH IS NOT A MENTAL CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES. NO!

The Faith of the just is not even believing in yourself but in God who gives you the strength to live. Peter had a mental confidence in himself when he boasted that he will not deny Christ. But Jesus said to him, before the cock crows once, you will do it thrice. Faith is therefore not a confidence in oneself. The Bible defines faith as the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.

It means true faith has both substance and evidence. It is usually anchored on revelation that is why it comes by hearing from God at an immediate present. In other words, if God has not spoken to you about a thing at an immediate present, there cannot be true faith in Him concerning that thing.

True faith is a child of things (in the throne room of GOD), that have been revealed to our spiritual senses; it is a proof of things we have seen in the spirit but have not seen in the natural - a conviction of the reality of them. Apostle John spoke about things that can be seen, felt, or touched in the spirit.

Faith is usually a product of seeing from God, touching, or feeling things from, or in God – things that have been created to be born on earth. It also involves taking steps that will pull them from that realm to your realm. In other words, faith is a creative force that enables the believer to create something from the invisible realm of GOD, to the visible realm of man.

That is why Satan attacks it.
To be continued tomorrow…

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THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (MONDAY 03RD August 2026)

“The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him.”

“The Lord is a Man of War; the Lord is His name.” Exodus 15:2-3 AMP

WELCOME TO THE 215TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Yes, His strategic victories have been responsible for our beautiful peace and serenity. God delights in keeping us alive, fighting our enemies, and shielding us with His love, like a faithful father does to his children. He delights in watching over us and making life easy for us.

Yes, God also delights in forgiving our sins when we repent of them, cleansing them, and strengthening us to go and sin no more. Once you are strengthened and make use of that strength, you will no longer live in them. He has been our helper, healer, deliverer, fortress and all in all. To Him belong the glory!!

His characteristics are beautiful. His kingdom is beautiful. He speaks before He moves. When He want to move against our enemies, for instance, He may say to us “I will not give you over to the will of your enemies.” This beautiful characteristics of God has been the reason for our existence. When the LORD send such declarations to you, either directly or indirectly, you are to take the faith position that Mary took when she received hers also.

When she had the encounter with a word from the LORD, she said to the Angel that brought it, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." That is a kingdom culture. It can unleash a move of God upon your life. It can release the Anointing of His presence to someone’s life.

We have been sharing on the anointing of His presence of late. Understand that declarations and proclamations can stir or unleash it. Friend, it is important to note that God hate seeing us in the hands of our enemies. He hates seeing predators attacking us and devils dealing with us helplessly.

You see all that in the holy scriptures. For instance, when Israel were reduced to slaves in Egypt; when His chosen generation, royal priesthood, and holy nation became the economic tools of Egypt, He roared from the throne room, and Moses picked it in the burning bush. Few weeks later, the gods of Egypt were smashed, the first born killed and the people of God liberated!

YOU ARE THE NEXT ON GOD’S LIST!

Whatever and whoever represent Egyptian bondage in your life, by the mercies of the LORD, let it begin to go down from this moment! Let His mercies smash what may be against you and free you from its hands. God does not have a history of leaving His own in whatever they may be going through, He does not have a history of leaving or forsaking them. So, He will not leave you or forsake you. Amen

You may be in the mouth of an aggrieved prophets or prophetesses who have reduced themselves into wolves in the body of Christ, slaughtering the sheep of the master or a victim of ministers of the gospel who curses people for not giving them tithes, or those who mis-interpret the scriptures to suit their greed for gain; here is the word of the LORD,

“I will not leave you in the hands of your enemies, neither will I hand you over to their will.”

God hates it when we are given over to the will of wicked pastors and church leaders who have become the gates of hell, resisting His ways and word to harm His plans for His people. Yes, God hates it when those we called born-again Christians become time bombs in the hands of the devil to destroy us.

He hates it when terrible church members are planted around us to do the bidding of the enemy. That is why He cried through Ezekiel saying,

"Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them."

"Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep.”
“Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.” Ezekiel 34:10, 20-22 NKJV

DUE TO THIS PROMISE, GOD WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE GIVEN OVER TO THE WILL OF THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS.

CONTINUED BELOW 👇👇

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THE WAY OF THE CROSS

CONTINUED...

DUE TO THIS PROMISE, GOD WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE GIVEN OVER TO THE WILL OF THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS.

Yes, He will not allow us to be given over to the will of these enemies of His Cross, or the terrible church members that work for them. When He saw David being given over to the will of Saul, He swiftly intervened, handing over even the life of Saul to David.

However, because it was a test of submission to divine will, David did not kill him but rather handed him over to God. You do not kill who God has decided to kill, neither do you attack who God has placed on His attack list. That was the principal David knew!

But what amazed me most was that God handed over the life of the man who was looking for David to kill into David’s hands. Saul wanted David dead and God gave Saul to David to kill, but the young man of GOD was wiser than the old king. He knew the wickedness of the wicked will slay them hence not staining his hands with blood.

There is a blessing for the tribe of Judah. It is the blessing of having our hands on the neck of our enemies. This is another blessing that the Anointing of His presence brings to us. That was what manifested in the life of David. The heritage is still available to us today by the blood of Jesus.

By this heritage He will begin to hand over the lives of those who want to you dead into your hands, in Jesus precious name!
You see, God manifest Himself sometimes according to His prophetic agenda in a man’s life. He reveals Himself according to the times and seasons a prophetic people find themselves.

Whenever we are facing life threatening situations, Heaven shifts gear in the Spirit on our behalf. If you are facing any death threats, may Heaven shift gear for you! Amen.

DO NOT FORGET, GOD MOVES WARFARE ANGELS TO FIGHT THE BATTLE. HE CAN CHANGE THE TUNE OF HIS VOICE FOR YOUR SAKE.

May you begin to see Him roar as the LION OF JUDAH against your enemies. May He surround you with the shields of the earth, and blast the enemy out of your paths. The Bible says,

“If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” Amos 3:6-8 NKJV

We were bringing a teaching on the Anointing of His presence, but this morning we are prophesying. Indeed, the LORD God has spoken, who can but prophesy. Our devotional text this morning says, “The Lord is a Man of War; the Lord is His name.” May He step into your life as a man of war this week. May He grant you uncommon victories.

Friend, you cannot have this kind of God by your side and fear what men may be planning to do against you. You cannot have this Kind of God by your side and not speak whatever Heaven says you should speak? Here is a secret, there is no god, devil, politician, king, prince, or fierce messenger of death with the title of MAN OF WAR in the spirit realm. Only our Almighty God has that title.

That is why every other god become like wax in His hands whenever He moves to save us. It was the revelation and manifestation of God as MAN OF WAR that stirred Paul to scream in one of his letters saying,

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.”

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:31-35 NKJV

WHAT A BLESSED ASSURANCE WE HAVE IN THIS SCRIPTURE. THAT EXPLAINS WHY IT WAS CANONIZED!!

Paul saw How God helped him against the beast of Ephesus and the political force of his days before sending that letter. He saw how God fought for Him when he landed in the shadows of death. He considered all he went through; remember he suffered more than every other apostle of his day. He saw God as MAN OF WAR through all He went through.

His life teaches us that if you have the MAN OF WAR by your side, it does not matter who is against you, they will all fall like dead trees and be carried away by the storms of His furry. You will end up looking for them and not seeing them.

What is the message of our devotional this morning? The message is a simple prophetic word for someone in need of divine rescue. It says, “God will not hand you over to the will of your enemies.” Cheer Up! But allow me to quickly point out that this word is not for everybody. It is for those whose prophecy and eternal destinies are under threat, and all who are ready to fight, or are already fighting the battles of the LORD today.

God will not reveal Himself as a man of War in the lives of those who are doing nothing with Him in the frontiers of war. The word is for those who are contending for the faith that was once delivered to us. It is also for People who need to be rescued and activated to stand and do God’s will in this generation.

In simple terms, the word is for warriors of righteousness – both active and potential. They are the ones God asked me to speak to today. If you are one of them, you will not fail in Jesus precious name! AMEN!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR TODAY

“Don't be afraid. I am with you. Don't tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.”

“Everyone who hates you will be terribly disgraced; those who attack will vanish into thin air. You will look around for those brutal enemies, but you won't find them because they will be gone.”

“I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid. I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:10-13 CEV

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THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (SUNDAY 2ND August 2026)

“If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.” Psalm 137:5-6 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 214TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Today is the first day of another week. We give God the glory!!
We will assemble again as God’s people to fellowship together. We are not the generation that believes in living life with our own strength. We believe in living life with the strength of Jehovah.

When we assemble as a family, united by the bond of the Spirit, He commands the blessing, giving each one the spiritual treasure they need for the week.

That is how we move from glory to glory, from grace to grace and from faith to faith. Yes, that is how our lives move from nothing to something. That is how the poor are taken from the dunghill by the LORD and set among princes. That is how we receive the strength not to faint in the day of adversity.

Oh, what a mighty God we serve. Please find a church that is Christ centered and worship in today. If you can’t find it, please join us. If you can’t come in person, then follow us online. The Bible says, “I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1 NKJV).

YOU WILL BE GLAD IF YOU HONOR THIS INVITATION.

It is important we know what the Bible teaches about the house of the LORD, because a lot of people are confused on what it is. The house of the LORD is a place where God’s corporate presence descends. The house of the LORD is also a person who have become a temple for God in the Spirit, and the house of the LORD is a people functioning as a corporate temple for God in the Spirit.

When we say let’s go to the house of the LORD, we are referring to the place where His glory descends, and God’s people gather for corporate worship. Let no one confuse you about it, you will need this place always. You will not need a fake, you will need the original. There is always joy in our hearts when we go to such a place. It is a place where God commands the blessing. So, do not miss it!!

We have been looking at what the Bible teaches about the anointing of the Presence of God, and today, we will be looking at the role of our passion in receiving the anointing of His presence. It is my prayer that you find something to build your faith on, in Jesus precious name. Amen!!

First, let’s look at what passion is. Generally, passion is an intense emotion, a strong enthusiasm, or a deep romantic affection. All these are very powerful.

They have been responsible for far reaching consequential turns in people’s lives. For instance, good marriages have been initiated, made to stand or destroyed because of passion. Beautiful destiny molding relationships have either come to an end or kept growing because of passion. Life itself can be either beautiful or full of misery, depending on your kind of passion.

The passion of Samson for Delilah, and that of David for Beersheba for example, almost destroyed them both if not for divine intervention. Their deep romantic affection for those two women, and what came out of each person’s passion, would have ruined their lives. Your passion for something or someone is either destroying you or making your life beautiful.

If you will rise in life or fall, it will depend on where your passion lie on daily bases. One moment of entertaining a wrong passion can ruin your life in such a way that you will not be able to rebuild without a strong passion in the right direction. David’s life was beautiful with no scandals before his passion or deep romantic affection for Beersheba, arose.

DURING THOSE DAYS, GOD DID SO MUCH IN HIS LIFE.

One of the beautiful passions he had was a passion for the manifest presence of the LORD. If you read what he said, what he did, and about the people he influenced, you will discover that David had an intense emotion, and a strong enthusiasm for God’s manifest presence. He spread it to the sons of Korah, and they expressed it in one of their Psalms saying:

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1-2 NKJV

This is the sample of the passion you must have to walk, live and carry the anointing of God’s presence on your life every day.

It is not just the anointing you will carry if you have this kind of passion, but the glory, leading to a very beautiful life. If you have an intense desire for the presence of the LORD, it will shape your devotion and motivate whatever you do on daily bases. It will bring you to the place of being a man or woman who is greatly anointed.

God is calling on us today to develop passion for His manifest presence and pay every price for it.

If you are called into singing or preaching ministry, for example, develop an intense desire or strong enthusiasm for God’s manifest presence. That is the ultimate requirement to fulfilling your destiny. Those who are called into singing with a strong enthusiasm or intense desire for the manifest presence of the LORD, are usually not entertainers when they sing or minister.

THEY MANIFEST AS CARRIER OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD!!

Let’s look at the life of David one more time. He for example, conceived Psalms, spiritual songs, and dispensed the glory of God in battle because of the Anointing that rest on His life due to His passion for the manifest presence of the LORD. He was one general in God’s army that won all his battles without a scar. The anointing of God’s presence that rested on him was very strong.

It was very strong because his passion for God’s presence was very strong.

For instance, Saul was king for 40 years and never thought of bringing the ark back to Isreal. He was not passionate about the presence of the LORD. But David, because of his intense desire for the presence of the LORD, never left the ark outside the place God designed for it after becoming king. He went for it and brought it back to Jerusalem.

If you want God to fill your life with the Anointing of His presence, your passion must be on the right things. It must not be negative, perverse or ungodly. It must be righteous, and an intense desire set on Heavenly things. That is the passion that will drive you to countless hours of giving yourself to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

Passion is also a powerful feeling like anger, hate, or deep love. It is a huge level of excitement and devotion to something you consider important. If you consider the presence of the LORD important then you will have a huge level of excitement and devotion to it. you will seek it above food, money, people, pleasure, and whatever mere men go for.

Finally, David also had a passion for his assignment, and the place of his assignment. That is another kind of passion that brings the Anointing of God’s presence upon us. Our devotional text expressed it this way:

“If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.” Psalm 137:5-6 NKJV

THIS IS A STRONG EXPRESSION OF DAVID’S PASSION FOR GOD’S ASSIGNMENT FOR HIS LIFE AND THE PLACE OF THE ASSIGNMENT.

Passion for God’s assignment for your life will have the same quality. I have seen it make people resign from secular jobs to dedicate themselves to what God wants to do with their lives.

Friend, if God call you to be a preacher, you will not fall into the part-time snare because your passion will not let it happen. Jesus was so passionate that the disciples lost pace with Him. One day He was hungry, and they went to get food. But before they return with the food, the passion He had for His assignment had killed the hunger.

That also explained why He was so anointed. The Bible says God gave Him the Spirit without measure.

You are the next to have what He had. But your passion for His presence and His assignment for your life must be strong and intense; stronger than anything lying in your soul or space. That is the word of the LORD!! May this month be the best month of August you have ever had in Jesus precious name. Amen!!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!!

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.” Psalm 63:1-2 NKJV

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THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (SATURDAY 01st August 2026)

“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.”

“You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this," says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 4:2-3 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 213TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speeches, and night unto night reveals knowledge. This is the day and month the LORD has made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The LORD has made us wise this year through the devotionals. To him be the glory in Jesus precious name. Amen

The LORD ushered us into this month with a word on the Anointing of His presence. We will continue that flow. It is my prayer that His light will shine in our hearts and give us more directive for the month in Jesus precious name. Amen

Let me reiterate again that the Anointing is for the earth. It is for our functionality on earth. God ordained the anointing for man’s functionality on earth. That is why it does not follow anyone to Heaven. It remains here when we die. You see that in the scriptures.

The One that Elijah carried was handed over to Elisha before he was taken. The one Jesus carried was released into the apostles as a breath. The bible says He breathe into them and says receive the Holy Spirit. That was the anointing of the Holy Spirit on His life. The one on Elisha remains on his grave and got a dead man back to life.

When the anointed dies, his or her anointing remains on earth. It does not follow the person to Heaven.

THE REASON FOR ALL THIS IS BECAUSE THE ANOINTING IS FOR THE EARTH.

In simple terms, you will not be able to function on earth as a human being in God’s design without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. A human being in God’s design is called a god in scriptures. The word says “ye are gods” in Psalm 82. That is a description of a perfect human being.

But you can’t function that way without the anointing.

You can’t be a god that worship the Almighty God without the anointing. You can’t be a god to all devils, evil spirits, demons, and all fallen spirits on earth without the anointing. Yes, a human in God’s design is like a god that rules over all under the Almighty God. But you can’t be a human in God’s design without the anointing of God’s presence.

A human being in God’s design can heal the sick, cast out demons, even raise the dead (especially the spiritually dead). They can overcome any kind of sin and exercise authority over any kind of demon, witch, wizard, sorcerer, or diviner. They can overcome trials of their faith, withstand any resistance from hell, and live in victory even in the presence of their enemy.

A human in God’s design sees the future and prepares for it. He is not blind spiritually. He sees the unseen, knows the unknown, touch the intangible, and hears the inaudible. He is on a different league of His own. The Bible calls him Son of God. However, you cannot be any of that without the Anointing of the Presence of the LORD.

It is a human in God’s design that can have a table in the presence of their enemies, terrorize demons, shake the foundations of hell and become valiant in battle. They are as bold as a lion and nothing from the pits of hell can survive their prayers.

Yes, nothing can survive their prayers. Their prayers make tremendous power available. Elijah was a human in God’s design that was why his prayers shut the rain, and brough them back after three and half years. He did not use natural chariots in his days he rode on supernatural ones called chariots of fire. That is the kind of a human being God wants you and I to be.

GOD WANTS US ALL TO BECOME HUMAN BEINGS IN HIS DESIGN.

Yes, humans in His design, because a human being in God’s design will not be defeated by his enemy. He will not trouble God in prayers, but manifest God in prayers.

He will not die before his time. The number of his days God will fulfill because of the foretaste of Immortality the Spirit will be helping him to have. A human being in God’s design will not battle with unclean spirits. He will trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the evil one and nothing shall by any means hurt him.

Moses did not step into Egypt just as a human being. He stepped there as a human being in God’s design. That was why he did all the signs and wonders in the land and smashed the gods of Egypt. He left Egypt at 40 as a mere human but returned at 80 as a human in God’s design. He returned that way because he returned with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

It is the anointing that takes us from being mere humans to humans in God’s design, and that anointing is available to us through Christ. We only need to become intimate with Him. When we become intimate with Him, it will begin to flow into our lives because it is the anointing of His presence that only flows to us from the place of intimacy with Him.

As we bring this to a close, I want to admonish us to spend the days of the new month pursuing the anointing of His presence with a renewed hunger. We should desire to live the days of this month as humans in God’s design and nothing else.

God wants us to cease from being mere human beings that can be deceived, destroyed by their enemies, cursed by witches and wizards, made poor by unreasonable and wicked people, defeated by illness, killed by premature deaths and made foolish by the gods of this world.

He wants us to be the gods of this world indeed!! Amen.

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE FOR THE DAY

“They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are unstable.

I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.” Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations. Psalm 82:5-8 NKJV

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THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (FRIDAY 31ST July 2026)

“But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; My ears hear my desire on the wicked Who rise up against me.” Psalm 92:10-11 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 212TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Today is the last day of the 7th month of the year. Isn’t God faithful? From the first minute of the year till this day, He has been faithful. Our lives testify. It’s beautiful to serve this God, who never fails and never changes. The only God who change times and seasons to suit His purposes and people.

He is full of mercy and ever abiding in love. We can say He has indeed exalted the horn of our strength like the horn of the ox by satisfying us early with His mercies. The Bible says;

“Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!” Psalm 90:14 NKJV

If God satisfy a people early with His mercies, they will rejoice and be glad all their days. This is one prayer that has been fulfilled in our lives, every day, and we give God the glory. If God had not be satisfying us with His mercy, things would have been difficult for us.

One way the LORD satisfies His own with His mercies is by sending a word to them every morning. He depicted the importance of that by sending manna to Isreal when they were in the wilderness every morning, a gesture that kept them far from illnesses and made sure they were in very good health.

The journey of Isreal from Egypt through the wilderness to the Promised land is a typology of a believers Journey from a life of sin through this world that is barren of righteousness to Heaven. While we are in this world, we need the manna of God’s word to be keeping us daily, and the early satisfaction of His mercies. Without that, our faith will fail and we will not make it to the promise land of an eternal home with the LORD in Heaven.

Recently, the LORD has been sending a word to us on the anointing and stirring our hearts to seek this blessing of His presence. Today we will be looking at how this blessing of His presence that we call the Anointing of His Presence, helps us take care of people who decides to make themselves the enemies of God and us His people.

THE SCRIPTURE CALLS THEM UNREASONABLE AND WICKED MEN.

The early church had it rough with these people. They were responsible for the persecution, the deaths, the stoning and the suffering of the people of God. At one time Paul had to send these words to the church at Thessalonica saying:

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NKJV

The term unreasonable and wicked men is a description of people who are hostile, outrageous, malicious and stiff opposers of the gospel. It is a term that describes people who act in an irrational, perverse or outrageous manner that goes against standard moral and logical boundaries. Men and women who refuse to live by sound truth but instead promote twisted harmful conduct.

These men and women can be very hurtful, evil and actively malicious, and either we like it or not we will always find them in our space.

Yes, we will always have people who possess malicious intent to do us harm and obstruct the work of righteousness in our lives or ministries, and God knows that. That is why He gives us an anointing that protects us from them. He knows that if we are not delivered from their hands, we would be doomed to be put to shame, reproach and fail in God’s assignment for our lives or live very miserable lives.

For some in the race, these are the people who make you feel you must get married by all means. Which might be a good thing. But when it’s not forth coming due to circumstances beyond your control, you are to trust God. But they will be saying things to you that make you abandon God instead of trusting Him.

Their primary assignment is not just to cost us pain but to cost us an eternal rest with Christ using some good things that are yet to happen in our lives.

THE BIBLE SPOKE ABOUT BELIEVERS WHO WENT THROUGH A LOT SERVING GOD BECAUSE OF THESE UNREASONABLE AND WICKED MEN AND WOMEN.

It says they were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. They had trial of mockings and scourging, and of chains and imprisonment. Some were stoned, and sawn in two. Others were tempted and slain with the sword. Some others wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, not because they were criminals but because they were Christians.

These unreasonable and wicked men and women made sure the world was not worthy of them. They made sure God’s people wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. Can you imagine your life full of these kinds of people? You will suffer bitter betrayals, terrible slander and blackmail, and all kinds of gossip. You will never go forward in life.

They will be using envy and jealousy to destroy you with confidential whispers. Others will engage witchcraft against you and even mobilize demons to strike you with curses or other forms of evil like Balaam attempted doing against the Israelites. You will do them good and they pay you with evil. You will help them, but they will hurt you.

You will take them to places they have not been in their lives, but they will do things in return that will make you regret ever doing so.

Some will get close to your life, find out some things about you, after winning your trust then try using what they found to destroy your life. They will be like what Delilah was to Samson, what those David showed mercy were to him, what the Gibeonites were in the life of Isreal and what Alexender the coppersmith was to Paul.

Talking about Samson, and all he went through. Do you know that if he had stayed in the home of a woman who was not unreasonable and wicked, his fall would not have resulted in the loss of his hair, eyes, or in chains and intense sufferings that would later take his life? Even after she found the secret of his strength it would have remained between the two of them for a lifetime?

SAMSON’S FALL RESULTED TO ALL THAT HE WENT THROUGH BECAUSE DELILAH WAS AN UNREASONABLE AND WICKED WOMAN.

If she was not, Samson would not have lost his hair. He would have recovered from that fall without losing anything or going through anything. May the LORD protect us from unreasonable and wicked people. May our warriors of righteousness not fall into the hands of the wrong people.

May they not fall at all, in Jesus precious name. Amen!!!

Friend, no one succeeds in this side of eternity with people like that in their lives. The only desire one may have concerning any unreasonable and wicked person is that one is delivered from their hands. Yes, the Bible forbids that we ask God to kill them, despite preachers making people to do so.

The Bible teaches that we love them but be delivered from their hands.

The system of deliverance is God anointing us with the anointing of His presence, making it impossible for them to destroy us. If you are surrounded by unreasonable and wicked people, always stay under the anointing and no weapon they fashion against you will proser. The anointing of His presence will protect you and even fight against them.

Our devotional text says:

“But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; My ears hear my desire on the wicked Who rise up against me.” Psalm 92:10-11 NKJV

Amid their unreasonable and wicked deeds, their hostile, outrageous, malicious and stiff opposition to us, our horn will still be exalted. In the mists of their irrational, perverse and outrageous manners that goes against standard moral and logical boundaries, we will not be destroyed but delivered from their hands.

As they promote their twisted and harmful conduct, we will not go down in life. Yes, as they become very hurtful, evil and actively malicious against us, the oil or anointing from the presence of the LORD will make sure we see our desire on them.

Today is the last day of the month. As we prepare for a new Month, God wants us to seek the anointing of His presence much more than before. Yes, He wants us to seek it more than anything else. He sent this word to urge us one more time, to make the pursuit of His presence our lifestyles so that we can be anointed with the Anointing of His presence.

Friends the days are evil. Seek the anointing of His presence.
See you next month!!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!!

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:4-6 NKJV

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4 days ago | [YT] | 32

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (THURSDAY 30TH July 2026)

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:5-6 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 211TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

It is a beautiful thing to always give thanks to the LORD for another day, because there are chances that one may not have another day except the LORD says so. We live in a world that drifts daily to war, rumors of war and fear. It drifts daily to the forces of premature deaths, sudden deaths, killings and destruction, especially in the Middle East.

The Bible says these things will keep happening until the consummation of all things. In fact, no student of the Bible is in the dark of anything you see happening on earth. All was foretold by the prophets and documented as Bible prophecies. They will keep increasing in intensity until the Church becomes ready to go home.

While they increase in intensity, the church has the responsibility to intensify its efforts to seek and to save that which was lost.

When we say the Church, we are not referring to the buildings around but you. If you have given your life truly to the LORD, if you are living for Him on daily bases, if you have been called out of darkness to God’s marvelous light, if you are Christ’s, you are the Church. A lot is resting on your shoulder.

You must find a church that will tell you these truths and stir you to take the faith position the LORD wants you to take at this time. Jesus Himself said, while these things are happening, one thing must keep happening among us as His body or church on earth. That thing is the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom even as we endure to the end. The word says;

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14 NKJV

MEANING THERE WILL BE NO INTERVENTION TO TERMINATE THE HAPPENINGS.

The lawlessness will continue, and in it all we must endure and not react. If we react things may happen that will make our love for the LORD to grow cold, and once that happens, we are in eternal danger. We must endure whatever we are going through now and not react or give up!!

We must endure an earth full of wars, killings, lack of peace, sudden deaths, and whatever comes to make our faith to grow cold.

We must endure other things that we may be facing even on a personal level, things we cannot share with anyone on earth. We must endure and not react. We must endure serving the LORD in pain and sacrifice, under circumstances that are demoralizing and a lot of other things we may be going through.

We must endure the sorrows of sin and consequences of certain mistakes looking for our redemption, we must endure and not react.

That scripture speaks of the prosperity of lawlessness. It says because lawlessness shall abound, the love of many will grow cold. It is the love of those who did not endure temptation, trials, submission to carnal desires, but respond to them or react, that will grow cold, and when it does, they will no longer be zealous for the LORD. They will not even be happy coming to church.

Some will depart from the place of holiness, the place where the LORD challenges them to live right and do the right thing. I was tempted to depart too during my days of trial. I learned that if your love for the LORD grow cold, hell will become closer and Heaven very far. But at first, it will not seem so.

Friend, it is very dangerous for our love to grow cold. Things will begin to settle in our lives that will one day destroy us suddenly. Understand that the spirit of lawlessness is usually one of the vicious enemies of apostolic Christians.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANY THINGS WE DO AND LATER REGRET DOING THEM.

However, the Goodnews is, Jesus knows how vicious this spirit is. He was here before us and tasted how vicious that spirit can be. He had to fight it on daily bases and endure it too. That is why He alone can help us. He helps us by anointing our heads with oil. That Oil is the anointing of His presence.

Our devotional text says;

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:5-6 NKJV

These are the things the LORD does to help us overcome the spirit of lawlessness and endure to the end. The Bible says it is those who endure to the end that shall be saved, not those who recite the sinner’s prayer or make confessions of faith. The anointing of His presence comes to help us endure to the end.

The LORD anoints us with it until the cup of our lives begin to run over with it. That is when one can endure. If you do not have that anointing of His presence you will not be able to endure. You will react or respond and do stupid things that you will live to regret later. You need the anointing of His presence more than anything.

Like we shared yesterday, that anointing is not the olive oil the preacher gives you that is carried in a bottle. It is the oil the Holy Spirit infuses your life with while you are in prayer with Jesus Christ, your LORD and Shepherd.

HE IS THE ONE WHO COMMANDS THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ANOINT YOU WITH IT.

I wish I had endured certain things that happened to me, I would have had a greater impact on the Kingdom. But my ignorant mind did not tell me to go for the anointing to endure. I was looking for power to demonstrate miracles but not the anointing to endure what the enemy will throw at me later in life. If there is anything we need today, is the anointing of His presence to help us endure things we must endure until they end.

Yes, they will end if we endure them. But if we do not endure them, if we react or respond, they will not end. The enemy will rather use our reaction or response to create problems for us that are bigger than we can surmount even if we are anointed. That is why we must seek the LORD daily for the anointing to endure.

Child of God, the LORD does not want us to faint in the day of adversity but to remain strong. His provision to make that happen is the anointing of His presence. We should all go for it. Amen!!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!!

“If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10 NKJV
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4 NKJV

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5 days ago | [YT] | 40

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

CONQUER DEPRESION
You feel refreshed when you accomplish something worthwhile.

Find something in God’s will to accomplish. It could be reading a beautiful book on God’s saving grace. YOU WILL BE REFRESHED IF YOU DO.

6 days ago | [YT] | 47

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (WEDNESDAY 29TH July 2026)

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

"Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Matthew 24:23-28 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 210TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Today we will be looking at the Anointing of the Presence of the LORD. There can be no strategic victories without the Anointing that comes from the Presence of the LORD. There can be no life without this anointing. In the days of the Bible, it is sometimes expressed as the angel of His presence.

If things are bad with us, if finances are not forthcoming, if diseases are ravaging, death threatening, misery accompanying, tears unending, suffering in abundance and life itself not worth living, it is because the anointing of the Presence of the LORD is not functional in that people’s lives.

This life was not designed to be lived without the anointing that comes from the presence of the LORD, without the power of the Angel of His presence.

That is the anointing that cheaply neutralize evil spirits that make life difficult. It cheaply neutralizes, curses or spells from witches and wizards, it makes what they call evil altars nothing to even talk about. It makes sure there is no enchantment against us, or divination against God’s people. It will withstand sorcerers, witches and wizards the way it withstood Balaam and Balak in Bible days.

The Bible says:

“For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’ Numbers 23:23 NKJV

If you carry the anointing of His presence, there will be no sorcery that will work against you. No divination will work against you and no enchantments will function. That is the protective hedge you will come into if the anointing of the Presence of the LORD rests upon you. It will place you in a realm where you cannot be cursed.

BALAAM SAID TO BALAK, “HOW CAN I CURSE WHOM GOD HAS BLESSED.”

When the anointing of His presence sits on your life, you become one that God has blessed. No one can curse who God has blessed. Once you are blessed with the anointing, no one can curse you. What they say will either return to them, or it will be rendered none and void. That is why if God want to fill your life with good, He will ask you to become a person of His presence.

When you become a person of His presence, one who is always in His presence, the anointing will rest on you, bringing His good intentions in your life to pass. It is the anointing that brings His good words for our lives to pass. That is why no matter what may have been spoken over you, if you do not carry the anointing of His presence, it will never come to pass.

This morning God is saying to you desire the anointing of His presence above all things. Hunger for it, fast for it, study to know it, push into His presence until it rest upon you and do not allow the flesh to eliminate its functionality in your life, like it did in the lives of men like Samson and the rest.

Jesus said, “the thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy, but I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” That is what the anointing of His presence gives us, abundant life.

Yes, abundant life; a life that is full of peace, regardless of what might be happening, a life that progresses against all odds, a life that cannot be paralyzed by the evil one, a life that literally prevail against it. We can call it a victorious life.

A major highlight in our devotional text says,

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

We are living right in the days of the fulfillment of this prophecy. Actually, there is a way this prophecy has been fulfilled in the life of men and women of every generation because deception is Satan’s greatest tool.

ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THIS DECEPTION ARE PEOPLE WITH NO ANOINTING OF HIS PRESENCE.

If you do not carry the anointing of His presence, the consequences will result in spiritual, financial or health problems that will be pushing you here and there, resulting in one running after prophets or acclaimed anointed ones.

They will say to you, “here is the christ” and you will run there because a demon that should not have been on your case is making life unbearable for you. You will be running after so-called prophets asking them to prophesy. You will become a victim of the many false christs we have today.

Friend, God does not want any of us to be victims of deception. He wants us to be anointed with the anointing of His presence so that we will not be deceived. The anointing of His presence does not just give us peace, progress, prosperity, joy, freedom, health and protection, it also teaches.

Yes, it teaches us to bring us to the realm of knowing. It helps us know, thereby guarding our hearts against all forms of deception. It is my prayer that you desire this anointing and begin to pursue it against all odds. Amen. The Bible says, “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6) If you hunger and thirst for it, your life shall be filled with it. That is the rule!!

As we bring this to a close, understand that the anointing of His presence is not something that can be put in a bottle, it is something that can only be put in your life. It does not come from a man of God; it comes from time in God’s presence.

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY;

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1-2

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6 days ago | [YT] | 37

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS - BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (TUESDAY 28TH July 2026)

But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried.

The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 209TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF STRATEGIC VICTORIES!

Glory be to the Most High God for making it possible for us to see this day.

Sometimes you sleep in pain, emanating from disappointments, and wake up not feeling like you even want to go on with life. But God’s mercy has a way of seeing a man through. It has a way of forcing hope out of a man’s heart. The Bible spoke about Paul going through a lot of perils in his own time. That was the territory of many of our Apostolic fathers.

One of the worst perils you can go through as a Child of God, something most of them went through, is the peril of false brethren.

The most damaging liars are most times found in the four walls of our local Church buildings. They draw close to you when you know nothing of who they really are, then discover some facts, very harmless facts, and begin to use them to create damaging stories about you. Some do that saying, “God sent them.”

I have seen a lot of insane things in ministry. Yes, sometimes God’s servants reflects the perfection of God, and we use that to give them a standard they must meet. When they fail to meet it, we begin to add to their life perils. Sadly, we forget that we are all in the race and should be facilitators of faith for them as they have been to us!!

Yes, there are a lot of perverted pastors and prophets, but we also have very terrible church members. In fact, in most cases they made the preachers perverted with their seductive moves and gestures.

I have been on the scene for a while and discovered that few ministers of the gospel became what they are today because some wicked Church members killed what God gave them for their generation and turned them into wicked men with no sexual discipline or compassion for the suffering.

THEY WERE PURE AND UPRIGHT UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO PASTOR SOME IMPURE AND UNGODLY PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO REPENT.

We have seen cases where church members cast evil thoughts through what they share with their pastors and even unclean spirits on them. Sadly, while we have great Church member who are walls of defense for pastors and beautiful helpers in times of war, there are those who can submit to the devil to sway God’s servants to do things that can ruin the call of God upon their lives.

Others can be so wicked that they can knock out love for the sheep, and deep concern for God’s people from the hearts of God’s servants. Others can erase from their hearts the genuine commitment they have to the work of God, making them unfit for any good work. This they do through bitter betrayals, slanderous confidential whispers and malicious misrepresentation of facts.

When this kind of attack comes from those who have eaten on the table of the man of God like King Saul ate from the table of Samuel, to be qualified for the throne, and have been sacrificed for, it becomes too difficult to love. It will take times in God’s presence for the heart to be healed again.

Friend, every member must make up their minds to be assets to those God has placed in their lives as His servants, and not destroyers.

We must put ourselves in their shoes and understand that it is very difficult to be deeply and genuinely concerned for people, as a man of God, after being betrayed and bitterly wounded for being deeply and genuinely concerned for people you believe God brought you to raise. That is why we must all know why God brought us into local Churches and stick to fulfilling that purpose alone.

We must decide against whatever will hurt, harm, or destroy the servants of the LORD we are under even when it seems just. If we no longer agree with them, we should just walk away and leave their churches or ministries, finding a place where we can pursue our eternal destinies and fulfill them.

EITHER YOU ARE A PREACHER OR CHURCH MEMBER READING THIS, UNDERSTAND THAT GOD WILL JUDGE ALL OUR ACTIONS, EITHER GOOD OR BAD.

Everyone knows the heritage of Judas Iscariot. He was appointed to be one of the 24 elders in Heaven, but he disappointed his destiny by following the path of betrayers. The Bible warn us not to follow the paths of rebellion, contention or division. We are to follow the paths of helping God’s work and will and making sure it is accomplished.

There are times I have feared to assist anyone. I have had experiences that as soon as you show people kindness, they show you wickedness.

My life is full of stories of People I suffered for, both spiritually and financially; helping them beyond what words can capture to make a meaning out of their lives, who turned into my greatest persecutors or pain creators. One day I said to someone, “even if I did all they claim I did, I have invested so much in your life for you to be considerate.”

There is a way someone helps you or gives you significance in life that he becomes more than a father to you, or more than a brother. That was what Ruth found in Naomi, hence clinging to her regardless. She was intentional in her decision to remain with her. A major highlight in our devotional text this morning says,

But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV

When someone becomes more than a father or brother to you, or more than a mother or sister to you, it means you will never harm, hurt, abandon or speak ill of the person no matter what happens.

You will not report the person to wolves, or discuss serious matters related to the person with anyone except the person. It means you will stand with the person even when the entire planet go away from the person, even if the person disappoints you, offend you or bruise you.

YES, IT MEANS YOU WILL NOT RELATE WITH THE PERSON BASED ON BAD FEELINGS ANY LONGER BUT BASED ON A LOVE THAT COVERS.

If you do not have such a person in your life, someone you have decided to stand with even if the entire world abandon that person, you have a long way to go in life. It means you are either an ingrate, a self-centered person, or one who is yet to sacrifice for someone, or find a covenant relation in someone who means so much to you.

In fact, if someone means so much to you, then you must take the Ruth decision concerning the person. The decision again says: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
The person might do things to you that you do not like; things that are bitter and have capacity to make you turn away from the person, but you must resolve to keep to the Ruth decision.

In the scripture we see the words, commitment, and dedication of a young woman who found someone who meant so much to her and decided to stay with the person regardless of any circumstances. God saw it and blessed her future. Today we are still talking about her.

May the LORD do the same to you as you commit to that person who mean so much to you.

As we bring this to a close, understand that your future will not be blessed if you do not commit to someone God has anointed to function as His servant in your life, or anyone who meant so much to you; a man or woman truly sent to seek and to save that which was lost, and help you fulfil your destiny.

When God gives you someone who mean so much to you, it is to use your commitment to that person to create for you a future. You will not miss it in Jesus precious name. Amen!!!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY

“ When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her. Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.” Ruth 1:18-22 NKJV

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1 week ago | [YT] | 45