Daily Devotionals

Advantage of ignorance!

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 "Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." - NIV

Paul identifies ignorance of the devil’s schemes as one way he can outwit us. This isn’t his weapon, but something he takes advantage of to achieve his plans in people’s lives. It is the person who is ignorant. Ignorance is overcome by knowledge, in this case, of God’s word. Ignorance is two sided: the fact that satan is defeated and now only uses schemes to bring defeat, and the believer’s ignorance of the power and authority, rights and privileges available to them.

We earlier noted that Jesus decisively defeated Satan and gave us that victory. But when you are not aware of this and live like you believe Satan still has the victory, he will smartly defeat you and inflict all sorts of things on you. A weak or defeated enemy will use trickery and psychological warfare. That’s how the devil has succeeded to hold millions captive, yet forever defeated by the Lord Jesus!

Secondly, Jesus gave His church, to which every believer in Him belongs, the power and authority to trample over all powers of the devil. That power is resident in everyone who believes regardless of status(Eph 3:20). God’s word teaches this. Even with all this power beyond measure, some believers behave like they are at the mercy of Satan, because they are ignorant of their power, authority, rights and privileges in Christ! Arise child of God to your position and take what belongs to you! Be informed of satan’s true fate, and your true status in Christ. Walk in your victory forever won by Christ! Hallelujah!

Matthew 28:18-19 "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Shalom children of God.

Unforgiveness! (29/7/2022)

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 "Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." - NIV

Paul identified forgiveness as a one of the ways of defeating the devil. Unforgiveness and its related evils like bitterness, resentment and revenge are good avenues the devil takes advantage of to wreck more havoc in us. In his scheme of things, if he can succeed to keep you in bitterness, resentment and not forgiving those who have hurt you, he has succeeded to make inroads into your life. And from there, he can manipulate your thoughts, decisions and actions.

While forgiveness keeps Satan away, it draws God closer and allows Him to work in and through us. This is the reason scriptures advice to forgive and not give room to anger, bitterness or vengeance (Col 3:13-14). The devil will try to justify unforgiveness and make you continue in it for as long as possible because he will keep you under his control while in it. In reality, it is harming you more. You will never be at peace while bitter and unforgiving at the same time.

So many have crushed under the influence this satanic scheme. Purpose to let go and leave certain things and people to God. Let God’s word and love reign in your heart. When you are aflame with Jesus’ love, satan will have no room. He will flee. You then live in perpetual victory over the devil, in peace and joy. In this world, we shall always be hurt by others, intentionally or not. I urge you to forgive and let God avenge for you (Rom 12:19).

Hebrews 12:14-15 "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 "Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." - NIV

Paul was guiding on how to help one caught in an offense, and the need to forgive so that they are not overwhelmed by sorrow. This would open a way for Satan who would take advantage and succeed in his plans against the believers.

Such is the way of the devil. He is a schemer. Jesus defeated him in a decisive once and forever victory on the cross and at His resurrection. He disarmed Satan of the power he had attained by tricking man in the garden of eden. At His ascension, Jesus boldly declared that all power in heaven and earth had been given to Him. He in turn gave back to man what was his from the begining. Now we are victorious over the devil through Christ. Hallelujah!

But why does this still elude us as we see alot of manifestation of satan’s successful manipulations? Because of his scheming which outwits even the believer in battle. Therefore, Paul’s counsel is very important, that we become aware of these schemes of Satan so that we are not defeated in a battle already won by Jesus for us. We shall explore more of these for our own victorious living in Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - NIV

What a soothing all time call from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to weary, wounded and burdened souls of men! He had just denounced the cities which refused to repent, despite seeing His miracles. So many were struggling to do good and please God but failed on their own. Jesus invited them to find rest by trusting in Him and ceasing from their futile attempts. And this true today.

There is so much not going right in this broken world. There is hurt and pain everywhere, caused by the selfishness, greed and oppression of men. The evils of men against fellow men has never been this bad! There is violence, oppression, injustice and uncertainty everywhere. The wars, natural disasters, hunger, poverty and disease are taking their toll on millions of people. All these challenges wear and burden our hearts, taking away peace as we wonder what could happen next.

These things are a result of men rejecting God and following their evil ways. The Lord’s call to us to come to Him, casting our worries and burdens, remains. He promises to carry them for us and give peaceful rest that nothing and no one can give to our troubled hearts. Let’s bring our cares, fears and burdens us to Him. He sees our tears, feels our pain and wants to carry them for us. He cares.

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 12:19-20 "And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy;  eat,  drink and be merry." But God said to him, you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" - NIV.

Jesus was responding to a man who wanted Him to use His influence to force his brother to share family wealth. Genuine issue it was, but Jesus looked at the real matter in his heart and taught powerful truths using the parable of the rich fool. One of these truths being comparison between the temporary and eternal. There are things which last temporarily only in this life, and there are those that last beyond the present life into eternity.

Many of the things we crave for, struggle for and fight to get, last but for a while. Soon or later they are gone or we are gone and leave them as the rich fool was reminded! And yet they are the things which occupy most of our lives. They include seeking material wealth, power and authority, fame, etc. But things of etetnal significance elude many people most times. These last beyond this life into time without end.

If we understood that there is an eternity, and that this life is but a preparation for it, we would live our lives and do things differently with that in mind. Even if one lived to be 100years, that’s nothing compared to eternity. By the end of those few years, the things we craved for have either faded off and gone or cease to mean much anymore. These things come and go. They are temporary. Let’s live this temporary life with the eternal in mind.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." - NIV

Paul, an old man and prisoner for the gospel, is soon dying. These words are among his last to his son Timothy. He charged him to preach the WORD in all seasons, using it to correct, rebuke and encourage. He prophetically sees a time in which men will not endure sound doctrine of the word, but will gather for themselves teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear and not what they need to hear. Such is the way out of the truth into error. All such actions are driven by their own desires, no longer seeking the will of God even though they use His name.

How true this is in our day! To many professing God’s name, the issue is no longer about what the truth of God’s word is, but what they can get out of it to suit their desires. The gathering of teachers follows what they want to hear. And the teachers also know what their listeners want to hear, and will give it, to their gain. This has led to gross misappropriation of God’s word to portray what it was never meant to mean. Unfortunately, Scripture is used to justify anything ill intentioned false gospel ministers want to give their eager listeners!

The purpose of sound doctrine is to keep us on track in God, transforming us into Christ’s image. It will rebuke and correct, directing us to the narrow, sometimes long path of God’s will. This will antagonize our pleasure seeking and easy life of the flesh. And Satan can’t fail to give those shortcuts to easy life, but at a cost to ones soul! It is incumbent upon each one who truly wants to live God’s way, to sieve what they hear, rightly preach and live by the word, sharp as it can be. Therein is our safety in these perilous times.

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Kings 21:27-29 "When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” - NIV

King Ahab was on record for giving himself over to evil and sinning against God like no other, spurred on by Jezebel his wife. God’s judgement was imminent. When he learnt about it, Ahab humbled himself before God and put on sack cloth, a sign of humility. God saw it and told prophet Elijah. He postponed the judgment He had purposed to bring to Ahab’s family.

God quickly accepted Ahab for his humility, although he went back to his idolatry. This gives a picture of God’s heart towards the humble and brokenhearted. One condition He gives for our prayers to be acceptable before Him is humility. Before God brings any judgement to any people, He always warns them, and gives them time to repent, acknowledge their shortcomings and recognise Him alone as God. By the time any judgement falls, it is clear the people didn’t respond in humility and repentance.

So much disaster could be avoided if people learnt to be humble before their God. David came to be called a man after God’s heart because of his humility despite the scandals. Jesus taught and demonstrated humility. He calls His followers to the same path of humility. Humility is recognition of our true position in God, and the acknowledgment that without God’s help, we cannot be what He created as to be. We thus obediently and willingly submit to Him. The humble will always touch God’s heart.

Psalm 51:17 "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 41:13-14 "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." - NIV

As little children, whenever you are with dad or mum, you feel completely safe and protected as they hold your little arm and lead you. They are everything to you. They are the strongest people in the world, whom nothing can defeat and have everything you ever need. As you grow up, you realise this isn’t entirely true of them after all. They are limited.

God spoke to Israel through Prophet Isaiah to give assurance beyond reasonable doubt, that He is the Most High, the Almighty with Whom nothing is impossible. He would protect, preserve, provide and be with them. He Himself would take them by their little feeble hands. In life, there will be overwhelming situations that scare us. God knows we are limited in ability to solve all our problems. And He gave this emphatic assurance to Israel His people, and by extension, to us in the current dispensation.

In desperate and dire situations where our human power, might, knowledge and wisdom fall short, every ear would love to hear such assurances of a more powerful helping hand to carry them through. This could only come authoritatively from a God Who transcends all, knows all, owns all, in charge of all, and yet very much willing to help WHOEVER calls upon Him in faith. The promise is clear; those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Will you?

Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Proverbs 6:1-4 "Have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts, my child? Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises? Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you." - GNB

The words of the wise man. Pledges,vows, promises and other commitments are common in every day life. They are made by individuals and nations alike. God too makes them. The people to whom these commitments are made trust and remain hopeful to see their fulfilment. The scripture above paints a scenario in which one fails to honour their commitment and what they should do.

God is always true to His promises. He calls us to follow suit. But for various reasons, genuine or not, we may fail. The solution is to humble oneself and talk to the person. The honouring of pledges is a test of one’s faithfulness. Just as God never falls short of what He has promised to do, He expects those who subscribe to Him to be faithful too. And when you fail, to humble yourself and repent.

Some make pledges to impress others and yet are not committed in their hearts to fulfill them. That’s hypocrisy. One would rather not commit to anything than do so out of unconsidered excitement or a grumbling heart. Neither should it be out of manipulation and trickery. Instead, our vows, pledges and other commitments should be first to the honour of God and from a heart of gratitude and willingness to genuinely do good to all. Then we shall recieve the reward from God.

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil." - KJV

Faithfulness and it’s related virtues are becoming very uncommon in our society today. Many are unreliable and miserably fail in their commitments. They promise and fail to honour, genuinely or not. This is characteristic of the last days where evil increases more and more to the unprecedented levels that we see today. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians that God, in His faithfulness, was able to establish and keep them strong in the faith amidst so much evil. He still does it.

Unfaithfulness ought not to be named God’s children. We are called to be faithful like God our Father. He has put His nature in us, made possible by the Holy Spirit living in us, one of Whose fruit is faithfulness (Gal 5:22,23). Our part is to corporate with the Holy Spirit in humble obedience. So we can choose to be faithful like our Father God. Dishonesty is characteristic of the devil and his kind.

God never changes. He remains ever true to His promises. He can be fully depended upon because of His nature and character. He is committed to whatever He has said in His word. He never lies. So we can confidently take Him at His word and be sure He will honour it. In Him is no darkness at all. Let’s be found faithful like our Father. For like begets like.

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change… "

Jeremiah 1:12 "The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

Shalom children of God.