Matthew 6:33 NKJV
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
INSIGHT
–The Biblical principle of priority dictates that we put God first above everything and everyone else. This principle is evident throughout scripture starting from Genesis where Adam was given charge over the garden and cautioned not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17), to Exodus where God commands that we should not worship any other God apart from Him (Exodus 20:3), through to Revelation where the new Jerusalem is established and Babylon falls (Revelation 21:22). God calls us to seek Him first; His kingdom and righteousness and all things He will add unto us.
PRAYER
How great are Your works Lord, how profound are Your thoughts. How great are You Lord, Your power is absolute, and Your understanding is beyond comprehension. You have called us to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. May You teach us and show us Your perfect will dear Jesus. You say in Your word that Babylon the great is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. May You break the spirit of Babylon in our lives, families, society and nation. Break every Babylonian influence and every wicked spirit dominating therein and cover us with Your precious blood and hedge of fire. Break the spirit of fornication, sexual immorality and corruption in our nation. Babylon has indeed fallen before Your presence Almighty God. May You raise us as remnants to do Your will in every area and sphere as kings and priests to You Lord. You are indeed the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, we worship You alone and give You praise, and it is in Jesus name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Revelation 18:1-3, Psalms 147:5-15
Philippians 2:13 NKJV
“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
INSIGHT
–God knew you before you were formed in your mothers’ womb and ordained you for the purpose which He designed for your well-being (Jeremiah 1:5). It is by the purposes of God that we exist and make progress. By God’s divine enablement we are able to achieve and live by the work of God for His good pleasure and will through His salvation power and help of our precious Holy Spirit. God has provided to us His word, His name, His peace and His blood that we remain victorious in every purpose that He has designed for us.
PRAYER
We give You thanks to You Lord and sing praises to Your name, O Most High. We declare Your lovingkindness this morning and Your faithfulness every night. Your name is a strong tower dear Lord Jesus, the righteous run to it and they are safe. Lord You are our refuge and fortress. Our God in whom we trust. May You deliver us from the snare of the fowler and the perilous pestilence. May You cover us with Your feathers, and under Your wings we shall take refuge and Your truth shall be our shield and buckler. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your blood. We thank You for You have protected us, shielded us and covered us with Your blood. May Your blood set us apart in peace, prosperity, victory in every sphere of our lives. We declare that we have divine help, breakthroughs, progression in Jesus name. We shall overcome by the word our testimonies and by You precious blood dear Jesus. May You blood cleanse our blood lines and cast out every unclean spirits of witchcraft, sorcery, working against us in the might name of Jesus. We declare that every evil force geared towards delaying our destiny is broken and destroyed by the blood of Jesus. We are walking in victory, success, prosperity, elevation, acceleration, healing and salvation in Jesus name. Amen
Further reading: Psalms 91:1-10, Revelation 12:11
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
INSIGHT
–Most people think about their vision and make plans for their personal goals, professional aspirations, relationships including family and national outlook. We make diverse strategies and set timelines to be achieved during a particular time or season. Sometimes these plans are in line with the purposes of God and other times that are far reaching, leading to disillusionment. Those who trust in the Lord are blessed and will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream (Jeremiah 17:7-8). The Lord calls us to submit to Him and His will and we will never be disappointed.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You have invited us to trust in You with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways to submit to You and You will make our paths straight. May Your sufficient grace empower us to trust in You in all situations despite the uncertainties. May You train our hearts to seek You and hear from You always and not to depend on our own strategies. May You train us to consult You in all our coming in and going out. Lord You have promised to keep us in perfect peace for our minds are stayed on You for we trust in You. We honor You dear Lord Jesus and give You praise, and it is Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 26:3
1 Peter 5:2-4 NKJV
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being Lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
INSIGHT
–Apostle Peter sends out an exhortation to the faithful elder to remain with him, not because he’s forced to, but because he wants to; not because it’s easy, but because he’s willing to follow the will of God. That they should be motivated or driven by eagerness and love, and not by greed. All leaders should be guided by the wisdom of God in shepherding the flock of God, and shall receive the crown of glory reserved for service in the vineyard of God at the appointed time.
PRAYER
Oh Lord our Good Shepherd, our Chief Shepherd we praise Your holy name and exult You. May You guide us in Your wisdom that comes from heaven and not the wisdom of the world. May You teach us do good works that glorify Your name. May Your grace always be over the church, Your bride. May You cleanse the church and remove every form of greed and corruption therein and in our nation. Dear Lord Jesus may Your wash the church Your bride by the cleansing through Your word. May all people know You dear Jesus and acknowledge that You are Christ the foundation of the church. May You release Your salvation power on the church, to the nations and to the entire world. May You direct those who engage in divisive plans by Your grace in Your proper purposes and will. May You cleanse our hearts, our thoughts and our hands with Your precious blood merciful Savior. Those who are afflicted and wallowing in poverty and oppression in the streets, may You save them and deliver them. Those who desire to marry and get married among us, may You release Your grace of marriage in Jesus name. Those who desire the gift of children in marriage may You do it for them dear Lord Jesus. Those who You are called into leadership positions in the various spheres, may You make a way even where there seems to be no way. We pray this believing and trusting in Jesus mighty name. Amen
Further reading: 1 Corinthians 3:19, James 1:5
Romans 8:28 NKJV
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
INSIGHT
–God’s purposes for us are deeply entrenched on His plan for our lives. The purposes that we so deeply desire should be the intentions of God that He reveals unto us progressively. It is all about God and not about us, therefore fulfilling His design of love that He gave His beloved Son for our own good.
SUMMARY
Everyone is born with a purpose. As the Scripture says, Before the Lord formed us in the womb, He knew us. Before we were born He sanctified us (Jeremiah 1:5). We therefore cannot relent in fulfilling our divine purpose on earth because of the lifespan of man given that God has set a plan for every purpose under heaven. It is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Even though sometimes we have our own plans and ambitions in life, it is His perfect will that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that many are the plans in our hearts, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. We are called to rely on God and His perfect plan for us. God invites us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Ecclesiastes 9:10 reminds us to do everything with might, for there is no work, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave. The purposes assigned to us are for the glory of God, and when the Chief Shepherd appears, we will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (1 Peter 5:2-4).
PRAYER
Thank You dear Jesus for assuring us that we shall receive the crown of glory. We are indeed Your workmanship created in You Jesus Christ for good works, which God the Father prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Thank You for considering us worthy to do Your good works. Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins, may You forgive us our iniquities and wash us with Your precious blood. We surrender our lives to us for use in Your kingdom dear Lord Jesus. We are Yours and we belong to You, may You help us and empower us to do Your will. May all Your promises for us come to fruition in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. May Your promises come to life in our lives, families and nation dear Jesus. May You grant Your true salvation to us and all people dear merciful Savior. Lord may You do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask of or think of according to the power that is at work in us. Lord we trust in You and exalt You. We believe that You are able to do more than we can think of or imagine. We believe that we shall be extremely fruitful since we abide in You and You in us. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in Your house forever. May You bless us and keep us loving Father, may You shine Your face upon us and be gracious to us. May You lift up Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Ephesians 2:10