JUICY JULY 2024
THEME: MADE BATTLE-FIT
DATE: 21/07/2024
TOPIC: LIVING WITH A PURPOSE
TEXT: EPHESIANS 2:10
BIBLE STUDY: 2 CORINTHIANS 5
DISCLAIMER:
I can assure you without any shadow of doubt that this is not going to be like the regular thing you read on the social media about purpose nor would it sound like what your purpose coach teaches you because the way some many describe purpose is so different from what it really is.
Kindly stick around if you would love to start living the purposeful life as the Lord God Almighty has designed it. It is my prayer that the Lord opens your understanding to His truth in Jesus Name. Amen.
TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHT
Let us read through this testimony before we start. May your own testimony also arrive speedily and gloriously to the Glory of the Lord alone in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Brethren, this God is unbelievable o. My husband needed to travel abroad compulsorily and we do not have the fund. The organization he was working for had paid that fund already since last year but because of the economic challenges, we have used it for so many things. We thought we would have been able to get it back early this year but we weren’t. The organization wouldn’t hear of that at all, so we started running a helter skelter for the ticket which was running into about 4 million naira … .yes, the depreciation of naira made the money so much…. Haaa….what do we do? We prayed and fasted, I included it in my requests for Juicy July 2024 but I didn’t know where the money would come from. To cut the long story short, my husband made a call to one of his family members that we least expected. This man that normally wouldn’t even leave his 10000 naira in your hand…this man paid the ticket o. Haaaa, unbelievable! The God of Juicy July did it!
But then when it was time for my husband to board, the Devil struck. They said the plane would have a stopover at one of the EU countries and he needed to have a visa. Aha, how? Since he wouldn’t be leaving the airport, why should there be this condition? Well, they said Nigeria is part of the countries that it is mandatory for them to have a visa to pass through their country (maybe because of our track record as a country, you know) That was how my husband couldn’t board oooooohhhh. And they said the flight ticket was a no-show, so it wouldn’t be refunded. Ah, I was destabilized. But do you know what happened again? This man got to know about the situation and asked us to look for another flight ticket and that he would pay for it. It was indeed like them that dreamed. Yes, I got to understand this verse clearer this season. I mean, you needed to know the way this man relates with his money. And to give this much away to us is just unbelievable. I want to thank Jehovah Overdo for doing more than what my family asked or even thought about this Juicy July. Praise Master Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ameeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnn
LIVING WITH A PURPOSE
If you go out to run a vox pop now, asking passers-by what it means to be living with a purpose, you will hear a whole lot of definitions:
“Being in control of your life”
“Being self-independent”
“Working for the Lord”
“Leaving a legacy”
“Living your best kind of life”
Someone on Quora said: “Ideally one’s purpose is what you do best, so either you stumble on it like I did, or you try different things to identify what it is. Millions of people get it badly wrong and wind up in an employment role that is boring or hum drum. You don’t want to be one of those! There’s nothing worse than going to work each day to do a job you hate.”
We are in a purpose-crazy world. Everyone is busy looking for their purpose. The purpose-coaches are cashing out big time trying to help people define their lives.
I mean, unbelievers can be falling into this craze big time but believers? You are also looking for your purpose? Praying for it? Crying for it? Going crazy about it?
There are few idols in this present world and one of them is called….you guessed right! Purpose!
People are looking for purpose more than they are even looking for God!
People are crying for purpose more than they are crying for God!
People desire ‘purpose’ more than they are crying for God!
PURPOSE IN THIS AGE
In this present age and time, this is hat purpose means:
Having a large following on social media
Being financially-independent
Being able to talk like a smart person
Achieving fame and popularity
Writing books
Releasing songs
Showing your life on social media
Driving a good car
Having a huge YouTube channel
Gaining recognition and applause
Accumulating wealth
Living a life of comfort and ease
Being influential and powerful
Pursuing personal dreams and desires
Building a successful career or business
Enjoying material possessions
Maintaining a high status and reputation
Having the approval and validation of others
Enjoying an entertaining lifestyle
But frankly speaking, was that why you were created? Was that what you were born for? Just for the things of this world that perish?
UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE
If you love someone so deeply and the person walks up to you one day looking all worried, what would you do? I bet you’d quickly hold the person’s hands and pull them close, asking from your heart. ‘Tell me, what is your problem? How can I help you? How can I fix the issue?’
But that is how God is. Are you not seeing it?
God is seriously looking around like a person in need, can’t you feel it?
Maybe you don’t just care enough to see it!
He is desperately searching to and fro every day. He is seeking for something wholeheartedly. He is looking around if He might just sight one. But we just walk past Him each day. His face is all burdened and He has needs but we look past His face and just ask daily ‘Give me! Give me! Give me!’
If He gives us, we hurriedly say ‘Oh, thank you!’ and jump out to enjoy our lives. If He doesn’t give us, we roll our eyes, complain, call Him names and get out of the room to go seek for alternatives!
Have you tried, dear sisters to go to God and ask Him ‘How are You, Lord? Is everything fine with You, Daddy?’
When are we going to get to this level? When are we going to grow up from being babies? It is only a baby that cannot see that her mum has tears in her face and is just concerned with ‘I want to suck. I want milk!’. Only a child does that!
You imagine a teenager meeting her mom and seeing tears in her eyes. Then, she just rolls her eyes, disregards what she’d seen and asks ‘Can I have some chicken for my Jollof Rice, please?’
She disregards the tears, the wet sniffs, the stuffy bedroom- just me! My needs! Meet my needs!
What do you think of such?
Heartless, right?
That’s how many of us are. When we see someone ‘spiritual’, we just ignore their own needs and run to them for our own needs. We never take time to see if they are okay, we just want our needs met!
Same thing with people who are ‘rich’. We run to them seeking for assistance without many times just pausing to see if they have any need. We are just selfish and all about ourselves. We think those people are just fully settled and satisfied, we are just the needy ones! Oh how wrong we are!
Even the mighty have needs. The spiritual have serious needs. The rich have magnificent needs. But many times, only God sees them because they are surrounded by people who only think about themselves!
This is how many of us are with God. We are just like babies, immature beings with Him. Always just asking and asking for- OUR NEEDS! Never having heart-to-heart conversations with Him. Never asking to see if He has any need!
Or do we think because He created Heaven and the earths and has the whole world in Hands, He has no needs? Oh, c’mon, the little Scriptures I have read and some of the sleepless nights He’s graciously bestowed on me (to declare some of His needs) shows that He has needs indeed!
AND HE CREATED YOU FOR ONE OF THOSE NEEDS!
HE CREATED YOU TO SATISFY SOME OF THOSE NEEDS!
ALAS, YOU GOT TO THE WORLD AND AND STARTED TO CHASE WHAT THE WORLD UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SATAN HAS DEFINED AS PURPOSE.
PERSONAL STORY
When I first gave my life to Jesus Christ and started to seriously enjoy the Holy Spirit- (Let me say that you do yourself a lot of disservice if you are trying to grow in faith without investing in a serious relationship with the Holy Spirit! You will spend years in frustration, I tell you! He is our power, our ability, our grace. Oh, my!), I would sit in my prayer room and just stare at the chair on which the Lord sat (Crazy, right?😂 Oh yes! I’d sometimes put a chair in my prayer room just to have a seat for my Lord and to feel that I wasn’t alone.) and ask with so much sincerity:
‘Daddy, could You share a glimpse of what You feel with me? Can I share in what You feel? How can I be of help to You? How can I pay You back for all You’ve done for me? I just don’t want to talk to you, I want You to talk to me. I don’t just want You to give me things, I want to give You things- something You’d love and appreciate!’
I wonder who taught me all those crazy things to say as a young girl but I did say them. I would then pause for His response. Sometimes, I would get none but I would repeat it over and over the days as they went by.
He had shown me so much love and mercies. I was enjoying so much fellowship with Him. In appreciation of this love, the Holy Spirit roused within me a desire to want to pay back. He led me to say those meaningful prayers and over the years, I see that He did answer the prayers! Ah, He did!
Some days, I roll from side to side, just burdened with what burdens Him. I tear up from some of what He reveals to me. I weep at the sight of His people going directly against His precepts and principles.
I am sure what He shares with me is not even up to 0.01% of the whole burden on His heart but that is just enough to make me cry and pant and labor in prayers. If He shares half of His burdens with me, maybe I’d just melt away like candle wax.
WHY GOD SHARES HIS BURDENS
Your purpose in life lies in the burden He has shared with you! Without burdens, you will never become what He needs you to be. Let me create another illustration to make this clear.
You have been walking in a jungle with an old man for such a long time. Sometimes, you feel lost. Sometimes, the jungle feels lonely. Sometimes you just feel useless. Then, you tell the old man about it. And he looks at you intently:
“You wonder why I brought you here, is that it?” he asks.
“Yes, Papa.”
“I’ll give you a burden,” he says.
“A burden? Papa, how is that the solution to my issues?”
Then, he brings out a very heavy pod and hands it over to you. Then he says:
“Carry this with you. Inside this burden lies the purpose for your living. Continue to carry it until I ask you to open it.”
Confused, but trusting the old man, you take the pod and continue your journey. At first, the burden feels overwhelming. Every step feels heavier, and your shoulders ache. You wonder why the old man would give you such a difficult task when you were already struggling.
But as you walk, something begins to change. The weight of the pod forces you to slow down and be more mindful of each step. You start noticing details in the jungle you had overlooked before: dead flowers, sick plants, dying animals, rots and decay all around.
With the pod in your hands, you ache with pain. The deadness around you saddens you. Your inability to help because you didn’t know what to do and because your hands are occupied with the burden kills you further.
Then one day, as you watch a little bear giving up the ghost, you cry out of pain: “Papa, do something! There’s so much death around!”
Then, the old man, with tears in his eyes, says, “Open the pod.”
You open it, and inside the pod lies all the different solutions to the problems you’ve seen as you walked with the heavy burden. You find medications, injections, fertilizers, and other tools to address each issue.
With renewed determination, you start to fix the problems one by one. As you apply the solutions, the whole land begins to transform. The once broken and desolate places become fresh, green, and vibrant again. The jungle no longer seems daunting. You are no longer lost, lonely, or useless as so many animals now flock around you, and the trees now wave at you as you walk by.
One day, you see Papa and smile.
“Papa, I understand now. The burden wasn’t just a weight to slow me down; it was a need on your heart, shared with me. It revealed why you brought me to this jungle in the first place.”
He smiles, his eyes twinkling with wisdom.
“Indeed, my child. When you are done, let me know. I have another pod to give you.”
“Oh, another?”
Just as you have read in this story, the burdens God shares with us are not meant to break us but to bring us closer to His heart and His purpose. They shape us into the people we are meant to be, ready for the mission He has planned for us.
Burdens slow us down in this fast-paced world!
Burdens make us see what we naturally wouldn’t see!
Burdens make us aware of what others aren’t even aware of!
Burdens make us compassionate
Burdens make us pray hard!
Burdens make us find and administer solutions!
That is what purpose is all about.
So, this is how it works:
First: There’s a huge problem GOD needs to fix.
Second: But due to legality, he needs a human to ask Him in.
Third: He shares a snippet of it as a burden with someone He knows will pray about it.
Fourth: That snippet saddens the person and pushes her to pray, asking Him to step in, providing God the legality to act.
Fifth: He then comes in and acts.
Sixth: He is glorified.
That is purpose, dear sis!
PURPOSELESS PURPOSE
These days, we see people saying they are fulfilling their purpose.
‘Oh, tell me about it!’
And they’d start to talk about how they are using their gifts and talents and skills to serve God, make money, make a name and become popular online.
‘Burden?’
‘No burden at all! Nothing to fix! I just want to leave a legacy behind when I am gone. I want my name to be written on the sand of time’
What a purposeless purpose! People fulfilling ‘purpose’ who have no relationship with God! People fulfilling ‘purpose’ who are far from their Bibles, prayers, obedience and the Holy Spirit everyday!
Purpose is not being on a flyer, being on a podium, being clapped for, being called ‘mama’, having many followers online etc.
Purpose is received out of a deep relationship with God in the form of a burden. That burden becomes what you think about, pray about, talk about and desire every time.
As you labor in prayers for that thing, it might come with popularity and it might not. It might come with international relevance and it might not. It might come with a podium or it might end on your knees in your bedroom.
Stop looking for your lost ‘purpose’ on social media, sis. Stop enriching ‘coaches’. Get down on your knees and rise back up with a burden. I bet you will start to live a life of purpose then!
HIS BURDEN
What burden of His has He shared with you, sis?
None?
No wonder you are able to sleep away, fight away, have fun away, skip your daily devotion away, fashion away, eat away, sin away, live without convictions away- away away and away!
For me, He has shared serious burdens with me on Biblical living, family life, parenting and marriage. When I see things being done contrary to His prescriptions in these areas, the Holy Spirit literally groans within me and sometimes tears flow, sometimes, sleep flies away; sometimes appetites wane- until I have cried out for His intervention in those areas.
A false marriage counselor might say something that even a pastor doesn’t have an issue with because he has not picked up that burden signal from the Lord but just listening to it, ah, I won’t be able to sit still. Ahhhhh!!
For over 40 days, Goliath would parade himself pridefully, roar, insult the God of Israel, insult the king and everyone would fret, flee and cower away! But David couldn’t even listen to that gibberish more than once- he became mad! What other people had listened to for 40 days!!!! David just couldn’t bear to listen to it once!
‘You said what? Nah nah nah! This uncircumcised philistine has to fall today! Is that my God he’s blaspheming? Nah! Let me face this guy, king!!!’
That’s a burden!
That’s purpose!
That’s the Holy Spirit groaning in a man to bring God’s Will to birth on earth!
SIGNS OF A BURDEN
1. Persistent Thoughts: You find yourself constantly thinking about a particular issue or need, even when you’re engaged in other activities.
2. Emotional Response: You experience deep emotional reactions, such as sadness, anger, or compassion, whenever you encounter the burden.
3. Increased Prayer: You feel compelled to pray frequently and fervently about the burden. It becomes a central focus of your prayer life.
4. Awareness and Sensitivity: You become more aware of situations and people related to the burden. Your sensitivity to related issues is heightened.
5. Desire to Act: You feel a strong urge to take action or get involved in activities that address the burden.
6. Sacrificial Willingness: You are willing to sacrifice time, resources, and energy to address the burden, often prioritizing it over other interests.
7. Confirmation from Others: Other people, especially those who are spiritually mature, may recognize and affirm the burden you are carrying.
8. Revelation: You sense a clear direction or leading from God related to the burden. This may come through prayer, Scripture, or other means of spiritual communication.
9. Restlessness: You experience a sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction when people are not actively addressing the burden. It feels like something important is missing.
10. Strong Fulfillment: As you engage with the burden and start to get solutions, you begin to have a sense of strong fulfillment and clarity.
PURPOSE AND BATTLES
So, this topic is particularly very important for us who want to be #madebattlefit. If we must be made battle fit, we must know HIS NEED that we have been called to come and satisfy. That is purpose. I think if we stop calling it purpose and call it God’s needs or burdens instead, we will have a clearer grip of the whole thing. Then we will stop living purposeless lives. You will stop living for:
Fashion
Social Media followership
Fame and popularity
Money
Comfort and ease
People
Applause
Flowers
Recognition
Luxury
Entertainment
Travel
Success
Power
Influence
Approval
Relationships
Pleasure
Possessions
Material things
Yourself
Your name
Your legacy
Your achievements
Your possessions
Your career
Your dreams
Your desires
Your plans
Your reputation
Your lifestyle
Your hobbies
Your status
SKILLS VERSUS PURPOSE
Skills and talents are valuable assets that contribute to our personal and professional lives, but they do not define our ultimate purpose. Our skills, whether it’s carpentry, tent-making, singing, or writing, are tools or resources given to us by God. They serve various functions, such as providing for our needs or allowing us to serve others. However, these skills alone do not encompass the full or even ¼ extent of our divine purpose.
Purpose is the broader, God-ordained mission for our lives. It’s the reason we were created, encompassing not just what we do, but why we do it and how it aligns with God’s overarching plan for us. Purpose is deeply rooted in God’s will and often involves serving others, fulfilling a specific role in the body of Christ, or contributing to His kingdom in ways that transcend our individual skills.
Jesus was a carpenter but that was not his purpose. His purpose was to díẹ in order to save His people from their sins! Paul was a tentmaker but that was not his purpose. His purpose was to spread the gospel of Christ, demystify mysteries through prayers and glorify Jesus in His daily life.
You have long hair and have started a college to train people how to have long hair, that’s not your purpose. You have a good voice so you record videos to train people how to speak. That’s not your purpose! You are a very creative writer, oh, you can create terrible storylines and suspense- that. Is. Not. Your. Purpose.
Your skills and source of income no matter how special they are to you don’t equate your purpose! God gave you those to sustain your stay on earth. He could eventually use them in achieving His purpose for creating you but they are not the PURPOSE!
The Devil has deceived the church
I was listening to a divorced worship minister one day sharing her ‘testimony’. The summary of it all was that if your marriage is not allowing you fulfill purpose (erm sorry, express your gifts or skills), walk out of it! That’s foolishness! That’s satanic! Walk out of marriage (which is a key purpose anyway. We’d look at that some other time) to satisfy your skills and make a name for yourself on earth??? Oh c’mon!
The misguided notion that our personal satisfaction or the expression of our gifts is our purpose many times leads to actions that contradict God’s plans. For example, leaving a marriage or any other commitment to pursue personal aspirations might seem reasonable in a worldly context but is definitely contrary to the purpose God has for our lives!
SIGNS YOU ARE FULFILLING PURPOSE
- You have a serious relationship with God evident by your fiery prayer life, love for God’s Word, obedience to His commands and submission to the Holy Spirit
- You have a substantial burden He’s shared with you. It could be as ‘little’ as praying that the children in your church should all be saved and it could be as ‘great’ as praying for the churches on the continent of Africa that righteousness shall start to reign!
It could be as little as raising one young little boy for the Lord in the confines of your home- one boy that the Lord will use to turn the world back to Himself! And it could be as ‘big’ as raising fiery trailblazers who will go back to their own lands and set the works of darkness ablaze there!
- It is about God, not you! It is not about ‘Oh, let people know me. Let me be known. Give me attributions when you share that. Give me my flowers…haha…it is about God! Oh that God be glorified! It is in His glorification that the light shines on you. Without Him, we can do nothing! If it is still about you, you can even destroy your marriage because you want to fulfill ‘purpose’, you haven’t started living!
- You experience a deep sense of peace and fulfillment even when facing challenges. Even when persecutions or opposition arise against what you are doing (which is a good sign anyway), you experience peace as the Holy Spirit is right there to soothe your heart.
- You see transformation and growth in the lives of those you minister to which proves that God’s power is at work through you.
- You are willing to make sacrifices and endure hardship for the sake of advancing God’s kingdom, showing your commitment to His purpose over personal comfort. You give, you spend and you are spent. You do all of this gladly without expecting anything in return.
- You witness God’s provision and miraculous intervention in your life and ministry, reinforcing that He is with you and supporting your efforts.
- You remain humble and teachable, constantly seeking God’s guidance and correction to stay aligned with His purpose. You don’t fly off the handle because now you are a bit known or have been described as being ‘anointed’
- It is never about comparison or trying to show others that you are also something or doing something for God. If you are still at this plain, you need to just go bury yourself under His everlasting arms until He breathes on you.
- You find joy and satisfaction in serving others, seeing it as a privilege and an honor to be used by God in fulfilling His plans.
- You experience a growing intimacy with the Holy Spirit. This is not evidenced just by tongues and signs. It is evidenced by a total overhauling of your life. A sweet, easier obedience; a modest, contented life; a life above sins etc.
- You have a heart for discipleship, investing time and effort in mentoring and raising up others to follow Christ and fulfill their own God-given purposes.
SALIENT TIPS TO NOTE ABOUT PURPOSE
1. Purpose is Not Something to Search For: Purpose is not a hidden object to be discovered or a lost item to be found. In the Bible, individuals didn’t embark on a quest to find their purpose; they lived according to God’s revealed will. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that purpose is something elusive. It is more about aligning with God’s revealed will and understanding your role within it.
2. Purpose is Written in the Scriptures: The Scriptures provide a clear outline of our general purpose. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals our fundamental roles, such as loving God, loving our neighbors, and living righteously. For women, it includes roles like being a loving wife and mother, being a homemaker as well as living out virtues such as submission and respect in marriage. Oh yes, sis, that’s biblical purpose!
3. God Will Reveal Specific Purposes Personally: While the general purpose is outlined in the Scriptures, God may have specific purposes for individuals. He visited Mary because He had a specific purpose. He visited Jeremiah to deliver the specific purpose. He visited Zechariah and Elizabeth because there was a specific purpose for them. If He has a specific purpose for you, other than the ones in the Scriptures, He will visit you and tell you about it. A strong relationship with God and attentiveness to His voice are crucial in discerning these specific purposes.
4. Purpose Is Not Always Flashy: The true nature of purpose is often humble and unassuming. It is not always flashy! Sometimes the loud, flashy, showy, noisy purposes are not related to God! It. Consider figures like Prophetess Anna, who dedicated her life to fasting and prayer in the temple (Luke 2) without public recognition, or Simeon, who waited faithfully in intercessions for the Messiah. True purpose often manifests in quiet, steadfast service rather than in the limelight, podium, camera snap-snaps etc.
5. Trust God’s Timing: Just because God reveals a burden or a calling does not mean you need to rush into action immediately. He remains in control and will guide the timing and manner of your response. The burden might be a preparatory stage rather than a call to immediate public action.
6. Challenges and Trials Shape Purpose: Difficulties and trials are integral to the process of discovering and fulfilling your purpose. They refine character, build resilience, and clarify God’s direction. Don’t be discouraged by hardships; see them as part of God’s preparation for fulfilling your purpose.
7. Purpose and Skills Are Different: Skills and talents are tools given to us by God to help in the fulfillment of our purpose, but they are not the purpose itself. Purpose is about our divine mission and role in God’s plan, which may utilize our skills but is not defined by them.
8. Avoid the Deception of Self-Centered Purpose: Beware of equating purpose with personal achievements, popularity, or material success. Purpose is about aligning with God’s will, not about self-glorification or fulfilling personal desires. The focus should be on serving God and others, rather than on personal gain or recognition.
9. Purpose Involves Service: True purpose often involves serving others and contributing to God’s kingdom. It’s about being a blessing and fulfilling roles that advance God’s work on earth, rather than merely achieving personal goals or enjoying individual successes.
10. Seek to Glorify God: The ultimate goal of purpose is to bring glory to God. Every aspect of your purpose should reflect His will and contribute to His kingdom. Aim for a life that honors God, rather than one that seeks to elevate yourself.
HOW TO START LIVING PURPOSEFULLY
– Continually immerse yourself in God’s Word: The Bible is the primary source for understanding God’s will and purpose for your life.
– Be content with all that God has blessed you with: Your marriage, family, and possessions are gifts from God. Appreciate and steward them well. Stop being a discontent woman who feels as though she’s ‘wasting away’ changing her baby’s diapers or satisfying her husband sexually when she is supposed to be on the stage in high heels being clapped for. You will always be a frustrated woman if you fall into this scam, woman!
– Do all to the glory of the Lord: Whether it’s house chores, changing diapers, or your low-income job or business, do everything to the glory of the Lord! Do all to the Lord! Do everything with an understanding that God is your employer.
– Avoid Motivational Books that tell you that you can be more than God has said you should be: Stay grounded in Scripture and avoid messages that lead you away from God’s truth. Feminism will kill God’s plan for you! It will make you live a fake life! It will make you only desire to please yourself daily! Read the Bible and only Biblical books.
– Stop that comparison!: Focus on your unique journey with God and stop comparing yourself to others.
– Get busy serving the Lord!: Find ways to serve in your church, community, or wherever God has placed you.
– Ask the Lord to share His burdens with you: Pray for God to reveal His heart and burdens to you, so you can intercede and act according to His will.
– Be a person of prayer: God wouldn’t share His precious burdens with someone who will throw them in the bin and not weep over them. Cultivate a strong and consistent prayer life.
– Do discipleship: Engage in discipleship to grow in Christlikeness. This process will humble you, refine your character, and align your desires with God’s glory. Discipleship will help you let go of the desire for recognition and teach you to seek God’s glory above all.
– Embrace humility: Recognize that it’s not about your glory, but God’s. Stay humble and let God exalt you in His time.
I SURRENDER ALL
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!
PRAYER TIME
WORSHIP
Let us take some quality time to worship the Lord for His Word that we have just gone through. Thank Him for the specific revelations that He has given you today. Adore the Lord for who He is. Tell Him how wonderful His works are! Tell the Creator how excellent all He has made are.
SPIRITUAL SANITATION
Begin to sanitize your life right now. Rid your life of every sins and iniquities with the Blood of Jesus. The Lord does not hear the prayers coming from the mouth of a sinner, but if such confesses and forsakes the sins, the Lord will have mercy, hear and forgive.
ATMOSPHERIC SANITATION
Now, take charge of your environment. Begin to cover where you are now with the Blood of Jesus. Cover yourself with the fire of the Holy Ghost.
SHALL WE PRAY?
- Heavenly Father, I thank You for being my Creator. It is a privilege to have been formed by You Lord.
- Lord, please reveal to me the true meaning of living with purpose according to Your will in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
- May my life reflect the good works You prepared for me, as described in Ephesians 2:10 in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
- Lord, open my eyes to see the needs You have intentionally placed around me and the solutions You desire me to provide to alleviate those needs in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
- Father, instill in me a heart that embraces the daily tasks and responsibilities as an opportunity to serve You. Help me see the value in everyday faithfulness in the little things I do at home and outside my home and the impact it has in Your Kingdom in Jesus Name.
- Lord, fill me with joy and gratitude for the ordinary moments of life. Help me recognize and appreciate the ways in which my daily actions, chores, service and choices contribute to Your greater purpose in Jesus Name.
- Gracious God, I pray that You teach me to see these burdens not as obstacles but as opportunities to serve You and make a difference for Your Kingdom.
- Help me to understand from today on, dear Lord that through my challenges, Your purpose is being fulfilled. In Jesus’ Name.
- Lord, deepen my relationship with You so that I may understand and fulfill my purpose more clearly.
- Let my prayers be more than requests; let them be conversations where I seek to understand Your heart and desires in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
- Strengthen my faith and make me sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit from this day on. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Father, remind me of the importance of being faithful in small things. Help me to see that even the smallest acts of obedience and service are significant in Your eyes and contribute to Your overall plan in Jesus Name.
- Lord, help me trust that Your plan for me is unfolding as it should, even if I do not fully understand it. Give me confidence that every step I take is part of Your greater design in Jesus Name.
- Oh my Lord, please help me understand that faithfulness to Your Word is a significant part of fulfilling Your will in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
- Oh, kill every haste in me Lord! Father kill every desire to jump out and run ahead of You in Jesus Name.
- Oh, may I never embrace flashy alternatives to Your Will for my life in Jesus Name (Ponder well)
- Father, help me embrace the present moment with a heart of thankfulness. Help me find fulfillment and joy in the here and now, knowing that You are with me in every moment.
- Father, in a world obsessed with personal achievements and recognition, help me stay focused on Your true purpose for my life in the Mighty Name of the Lord Jesus.
- Guard my heart against the allure of superficial goals and keep me anchored in Your Word, my Father in Jesus Name.
- Help me to live a life that honors You, regardless of worldly accolades or material gains. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Almighty God, I ask for the grace to receive and embrace the burdens You place on me with a willing heart in Jesus Name.
- Let me not shy away from the responsibility You give but approach it with courage and faith, oh dear Lord.
- Oh dear Lord, please help me to experience the deep satisfaction that comes from living a life aligned with Your divine plan. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Remind me to seek Your Kingdom first and trust that all other things will fall into place according to Your plan. Help me prioritize Your will and trust in Your provision for my life, my dear Heavenly Father in Jesus Name.
- Father, transform my heart to align with Your divine purpose. Remove any distractions and help me focus solely on what You have designed me to accomplish. May my heart be fully attuned to Your will and Your burdens all my lifelong in Jesus Name.
- Lord, grant me clarity and vision to understand and embrace the specific purpose You have for my life if any, in Jesus Name.
- Empower me oh Lord to overcome obstacles and challenges that seek to deter me from the path You have set before me in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
- Lord, help me to bear the burdens You have entrusted to me with grace and diligence. May I be a faithful steward of the responsibilities You have placed in my hands and work fervently to address the needs and issues You have highlighted to me in Jesus Name.
- Grant me discernment to recognize and reject distractions and pursuits that are contrary to Your purpose. Help me stay focused on the true calling You have placed upon my life and avoid the pitfalls of worldly distractions in Jesus Name.
- Father, provide me with all the resources, opportunities, and support I need to fulfill Your purpose. Open doors that need to be opened and close those that would lead me astray in Jesus Name.
- Help me make a positive impact and influence in the lives of others as I pursue Your purpose. Use me as a vessel to spread Your love, truth, and righteousness to those around me.
- Lord, give me wisdom in making decisions that align with Your purpose. Let every choice and action I make be guided by Your truth and lead me closer to the fulfillment of Your will in Jesus Name.
- Help me grow spiritually and mature in my faith oh Lord. Strengthen my relationship with You and deepen my understanding of Your Word in Jesus Name.
- Daddy, please guard me from the deception of false purposes in Jesus Name.
- Teach me to fully relinquish my own ambitions and desires in favor of Your perfect will for my life oh dear Lord, my God in Jesus Name. Amen.
CONTINUE TO PRAY AS THE LORD LEADS YOU!
PRAYER REQUEST SPOTLIGHTS
Could we please join hands together to raise our voices to the Lord on behalf of these sisters
-It’s God that one of the bulletins dealt with being awakened, I’ve had a desire of spiritual awakening and that God would open my eyes and spiritual understanding. I want to be completely sold out to seeking His face, knowing and doing His will.
-I would like you to also join me in prayers so that God would take away the spirit of almost there but not there, getting so close to something and then seeing it slipping off like that. I have been attending interviews with different organizations and when it looks like I got the job, then off it goes like that. I want a special kind of favour that God from God and man to be able to get even more than I aaak for.
-The same spirit has been manifesting in my marital life, one moment I’m being led to this brother and I’m so sure because I got a number of confirmations, then the next minute his getting married to so and so. God should settle me maritally and give me a blessed home, I’ll be 30 soon, no sign of any serious man coming my way😢.May the Lord turn away my captivity and do more than I am asking for.
-I’ve been battling with I’ll health since the year began, I recently tested positive for ulcer it hasn’t been an easy time for me, help me pray that God will restore healing and wellness and wholeness to my body.
1. I want God to order my steps and direct me on what and where to do my masters and PHD, Favour of God concerning what I applied for abroad, that God’s will should be done concerning it 2. Admission on merit for my brother this year to study his course of choice 3. I want God to perfect my cousin’s NYSC, that there will be no issue as he registers this coming batch 4. My uncle has been on his research work for an extended period, I want God to intervene, stop every delay and grant him good speed to round it up this year 5. Provision of resources and money for the building project ongoing for my dad’s company, both the building work and registration should be completed before my birthday in November. 6. Marital settlement for two of my loved ones and God should bless my cousin and one of the sisters in my church with the fruit of the womb 7. Salvation of my cousins and younger sister, deliverance for her from the spirit of lying. 8. The tongue of Glory Merisi should be set loose and she should speak well 9. Provision of better paying job for my uncle’s wife and that my mum’s passport renewal should be granted 10. Favour for my friend as she goes for an exam to get a job, that the will of God be done.
-One of my prayers is that God should favor my sister and settle her martially. She’s over thirty now. I know age is not a consideration when God blesses but delayed hope can bring anxiety. God should cause it that people will rejoice with us concerning marriage even this year.
-God should also establish my daddy spiritually, financially and in every sphere of life.
-I want the children of God to join me in prayer for a friend of mine who applied for a scholarship study program abroad, thou school has given him the admission but yet to give him the scholarship that will cater for all his study expenses. That God will intervene and grant him the scholarship miraculously before the academic session resume.
-I also want the sisters to join me in prayer for a sibling that is yet to know the Lord, that God will touch him and lead him to Calvary. And also for the salvation of people around me and souls that are yet to know the Lord, that the hand of Christ will reach them and save them.
– The Lord should open doors for my younger sister, she’s been finding it difficult to get a good job, all the jobs she’s been getting are commissions based job. The Lord should please show her mercy and destroy every evil pattern in her life
-I want my sister in the lord to join me in prayer, that the almighty should save my sister (blessing) from her sin and harden heart, God should call her back home and retrace her steps back to God because her ways of life is totally different and something that someone is ashamed off . 2) God should deliver me from the spirit of grave , almost every night I always see my twin brother that is dead and it has never be a good dream. 3) God should deliver me from the power of fear , this fear normally come at the place of fulfilling my assignment, whenever I am asked to take a sermon in church or preach the gospel, the fear will come and I will not able to do my divine assignment very well, that God should deliver me from the power of fear in my life
NOW TO OUR PRAYER JOURNALS
Let us raise our prayer list to the Lord and tell Him all about our requests. Let us ask the Father in the Name of Jesus to turn those requests into testimonies for us according to His Will in Jesus’ Name. Let us pray fervently on them before we move on.
PRAISES
Sing songs of praises to the Lord for all He’s done.
