WITHERNESS

Having a withered hand is occupying a situation that cannot be unnoticed; it calls for attention. Once on a Sabbath day, in a synagogue, the Pharisees knew quite well that a man who had withered hand was going to catch Jesus’ attention when they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. (Matthew 12:9), Jesus’ answer demonstrated the importance of doing that which is good and the placement of good deeds above the law. He points out that law is not a reason to be excused from caring for others. Most importantly, He pointed out how valuable is man when He stated, “Of how much more value than is a man than a sheep?” (Matthew 12:12). Jesus the tenderhearted shepherd, the caring and compassionate master, after answering the Pharisees now turned His attention to the man with withered hand, “Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.” (Matthew 12:13). Just a word from Jesus terminated the mark of shame and mockery and put restored glory to the withered vessel.
What is it that is withered in your life? Among the words synonymous with “withered” are shrivel, fade, decay, wrinkle, shrink, dry, decline, languish, droop, waste, etc. Is there any area of life that you are experiencing any of the synonyms of wither in your life? To be withered in any area of life is not what can be hidden but what a man can be healed and be delivered from, just as the man with the withered hand got his healing and deliverance from Jesus’s word.
It was the healing power in the word of God that healed the man with withered hand. Jesus spoke to him, “Stretch out your hand.” The power to heal comes with the power to believe and receive. When the healing word of Jesus found the man with withered hands, there was no doubt in his heart as he stretched out his hands as commanded by Jesus. Self-recognition and acceptance is a very important step and so pivotal to getting delivered. If you will behold Him in His word of healing and say to yourself, “I am coming out in Jesus name” you have loosened yourself from whatever tie you down and lay claim to deliverance by confession. Remember, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21). Also, the power to get satisfied with good is through the mouth. Proverbs 12:14, “A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth.” Jesus buttresses the power of self-deliverance by stating, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) He went further to let us know that with good treasure of the heart one is able to bring forth good things. (Matthew 12:35) Treasure the word of God; allow the word of God a place inside you and the word that you carry inside you will bring forth your satisfaction in place of dis-satisfaction when you speak it in faith. The word of God is consistently true when it is constantly engaged with expectation for manifestation.
Are you experiencing the challenges of what it means to be withered in one hand? One that is short in one hand will be short everywhere he/she put his/her hands on. It takes two whole hands to maintain balance in all endeavors as designed by our maker.
To be withered in life is a sympathetic and sorrowful situation that calls for God’s attention. The situation of a withered can be compared to that of a sheep that falls in a pit. One that falls in a pit is set for stagnation; one in the pit has been replaced from his ground; one in the pit is reduced and not in place for increase and one in the pit with no way out is set to waste. It does not matter what the status of a man is or the kind of title a man answers to, Jesus will not shy away from delivering any that his/her situation calls for Jesus’ attention and welcomes the Savior’s hand that is always ready to give us rest (Matthew 11:28). Treasure the word of God, meditate upon it and be assured of good success (Joshua 1:8). Speak the word from abundance of heart and the word of God which you treasure will satisfy.

                                      IN THE BEGINNING

The Bible makes us realize how it was in the beginning stating, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1: 1-5) The book of John went further to identify the Word which was with God in the beginning, the Word through whom all things were made stating, “…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”(John 1:14) Jesus the glory of God is the grace of our Lord God, the truth that came from heaven. Jesus gave a self-introduction stating, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus, the One who was in the beginning shall also be beyond the end of all things.
In every beginning such as a New Year, it is worthy to engage the Word of God that holds the whole world in His hands. To truly engage the Word is the avenue to living a fulfilled life to the glory of God. Without doubt, it is true that the Word of God is God and the Word is power to create; to deliver; to preserve and to heal. When one becomes full of the Word one will be filled by His presence to live a fulfilled life. Having the presence of God in one’s life is all that matters and all that makes the difference living life. However, living a fulfilled life is not a ticket to exemption from the challenges of life but a lifting that is certain to make man prevail in the face of any challenge of this wicked world. For example, Joseph could not be derailed. He was full of the Word and the presence of God in him was all that made him live a fulfilled life.
The presence of God (Word of God) that is fearful with power to deliver answered in the life of Joseph. He refused to answer to his master’s wife’s sinful request to lie with her. Joseph feared God and he responded to his master’s wife’s sinful approach by stating, “…How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) Truly, Joseph was full of His presence and he lived from one challenge to another but yet he could not be derailed from God’s fulfillment in his life. Know that in the eyes of man, when a situation is bad, it yields good for one who is full of His presence. Joseph, because of the fear of God (presence of God) in him was sent to the prison for a sin he did not commit. While Joseph was in prison, he had the whole prison (world) in His hand because he was carrying the presence of God. It is written, “…And he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority,because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.” (Genesis 39:20-23) Joseph was identified with the favor of God; the mercy of God; deliverance and preservation from God because of the presence of God which was consistently inside of him. The life of Joseph depicts what could be an experience for anyone who makes the choice to live a fulfilled life in Christ Jesus.
For one who desires the Word to be full in their life so that they may live a fulfilled life, the Lord will deposit all that it takes to be full by the Word. Man should understand that no one is born filled with the Word; it is one who seeks the Word of God that shall get it by God’s grace. Reading or skimming through the pages of the Bible will not have the Word deposited in one’s life. However, studying and gaining understanding is what will cause man to be filled with the Word of God.
In addition to studying the Word, giving oneself to meditating on the Word will enable man to be established and live a fulfilled life. In line with the importance of meditating the word, Apostle Paul was speaking in 1Timothy 4:15, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” The Apostle Paul could not minimize the importance of meditation in his message. Meditating on the Word of God will fill man and bring to life God’s promise which says that God will not leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5-6)

Faith Capsule:
Living a fulfilled life is not a ticket to exemption from the challenges of life.

                    GET UNDERSTANDING TO FEAR OF GOD

Without the fear of God there is no seeking God. Do you know what it is to fear God? Is it in you to fear God? It is written, “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one. (Psalm 14:2-3) Get the understanding and allow it to be rooted in your being that, the fear of God is the key to living abundantly as delivered by Jesus Christ. Get the understanding to fear God. Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandment, for this is man’s all.” The understanding that is needed in getting the fear of God is the ability to listen to the word of God. The wisdom to fear God rest in the heart of one who has understanding and the knowledge to fear God is easy to one who understands.
King David a man identified by God as one after God’s own heart volunteered to teach the fear of the Lord by stating, “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11) David knew what he was up to when he made his statement to the ones who has ear to hear. His fear of God has kept him and saw him through life’s terminating challenges. He wanted to know if we desire life and love many days that we may see good. (Psalm 34:12) Indeed, the words of God are secrets and they are not revealing to those who do not have time studying them. However, to those who spend time studying, and do not approach it as mere story or letter it serves as a dwelling place. In truth, those that dwell in the secret place of God (Word of God) shall abide under the shadow of God. To know and to fear God is inhabited in knowing Him through His word. Evidently, the fear of God is all that settles man for living life abundantly and living life to the glory of God. Psalm 34 pointed out four points to identify one that fear God stating: Keep your tongue from evil, keep your lips from speaking deceit, depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:13-14) Digesting the four points into one’s life will no doubt mark one as a God fearing one.
Unlike every other book of the Bible, Proverbs gave many brief of what the fear of God is all about. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7)
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. (Proverbs 8:13)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10)
The fear of the Lord prolong days. (Proverbs 10:27)
He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. (Proverbs 14:2)
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence. (Proverbs 14:26)
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom. (Proverbs 15:33)
By the fear of the Lord one departs from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)
The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. (Proverbs 19:23)
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)
The Bible allows us to realize that fearing the LORD God is a Spirit of the Lord, “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)
God also said in Jeremiah 32:40, “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.” Having the grace of living life year after year without knowing the fear of God is not God’s will for us. To fear God is for our own good because it keeps us from departing from God. When we are able to obey fully by fearing God, He will preserve us fully. Whatever that is in line with God’s plan and we are able to desire, God will deposit it. Be zealous for the fear of the Lord and it will become of you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deposit His fear in your life that you may live for His glory.
FAITH CAPSULE:
The fear of God is all that settles man for living life abundantly and living life to the glory of God.
His fear keeps us from departing from Him.

                                DISENGAGE LISTENING DISABILITY

Jesus once said to the Jews, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do these things that please Him.” (John 8:29) It is not enough to read and pass on in the word of God, but we must read and gain the full understanding. Until understanding is in place, having a hedge against all confronting situations or challenges remains elusive to every confessing believers. Also, spiritual status is determined by reception and application of the word and not by church title. What you receive and understand will determine the level of result that you will be producing as you journey in the face of earth. Interest and commitment are what will always provoke the zeal for understanding that is gained in the word of God that builds up a believer for inheritance among the sanctified. The Word of God is indeed true to the fact when it stated in Proverbs 4:7, “…In all your getting, get understanding.” It is a demonstration of need for understanding to want to know what it is that pleases the Father. Pleasing the Father is evidently crucial and important to continue in the journey of life because it keeps a believer in constant and continuous touch with the Father. Hebrew 11:5-6 points out what it takes to please the Father: “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” If having faith is what pleases the Father, not having faith will be what displeases the Father. When faith is not in place in the life of a believer, the Father will not be in place in the life of such a believer. Jesus specified that doing what pleases the Father is what makes the Father to be in Him and not leave Him. What is the source of this faith that makes the Father’s presence to always be in Jesus? Romans 10: 17, “…Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”The importance of hearing so as to understand is vital and that is emphatically emphasized throughout the Bible. The apostle Paul knew the importance of hearing as vital to understanding the Word. What you do not understand will not work for you. Understanding is the key to the word operating in the life that it enters. Listen to the Word; allow it to have a place in you and the Father will reign over you.
Jesus was speaking, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) Evidently, listening is the key to understanding. With understanding, the heart will retain the word. Also, it is the heart that retains the word of God that will be able to keep the commands of God and live constantly with the Father’s presence. The importance of getting understanding cannot be emphasized enough as it was in the book of Proverbs. “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.” (Proverbs 4:5-6) The purpose of understanding the word of faith is to be obedient to God. Where there is word, there will be light and the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit cannot be denied. Once the word is truly in the life of a believer, it becomes impossible for a believer to engage in ways of life that does not glorify God. Saul was king when the presence of God departed from him because he continuously disobeyed the word of God. As a result, he became occupied by a troubling spirit, “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.” (1 Samuel 16:14)
Obeying the word of God is rooted in having the heart retain the word of His command. When there is disobedient, it is evident the word has been turned away in the heart as a result of listening disability. One that does not listen lacks understanding. The word of God should not only be for quotation; that is, it should not only lie in the mouth, but should also have center place in the heart. Many are conversant quoting the word but few lives and abide in the word. It is written in Deuteronomy 30:14, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” Just as it is stated in Deuteronomy, Romans 10:8-10 records, “…the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Having the word in the mouth and not having it through to the heart is like receiving but not believing in Him. Many are conversant and fluent with quoting the word of God, but are far from living the word. Receive and believe and you will please the Father. Pleasing the Father will keep one to be constant in His presence.

FAITH CAPSULE:
Pleasing the Father will keep one to be constant in His presence.
If having faith is what pleases the Father, not having faith will be what displeases the Father.

                                GIVE THANKS DO NOT GET ENTICED BY EVIL

Enticement and temptation means the same. One of the weapons of the enemy’s most deadly weapon is “enticement.” To be enticed is to be lured away from the point of focus. Temptation is not sin but falling for temptation will cause man to rise in sin. King David did not accidentally fell for the sin of sexual immorality which he committed with Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife). It was through seeing (which is the anchor of enticement) that King David entrapped himself into sin. The Bible recorded David’s avenue to sin, “Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” (2 Samuel 11:2) Besides the truth that David was at the right place at the wrong time, David’s fell for sin when he became enticed as a result of seeing the woman bathing. David could not resist the temptation but went on to inquire for what does not belong to him. Seeing and getting enticed is a deadly avenue to be avoided and not fall in to sin. David, a man after God’s own heart fell through enticement. Are you paying attention to avoiding wrong place at the right time and paying attention to what does not belong to you?
Eve supposed to focus on not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as commanded by God. When the serpent showed up on her ground, she was cunningly enticed and lost her focus. The moment she lost her focus, she saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6) Like David, Eve’s attention was directed to seeing and getting enticed. Seeing and enticement cannot be separated but man can operate by not getting lost for everything that is see-able for sin to reign. Eve was enticed; she lost focus of God’s command. The enemy is the master of deception and he has been around long before man. He attempted Jesus but failed because Jesus, the word was full of word that was more than enough to deny devil. Be assured that if he could attempt Jesus, we are no exception for him to attempt. Thank God for the word of deliverance.
If one’s focus is not properly fixed on God (Word of God), the enemy’s enticement will tie one down for destruction. It does not matter how strong you are standing in the Lord, the enemy will knock on your door with the purpose of knocking you down. The enemy knocked on King David’s door but he was too careless to give devil’s enticement all the room to occupy. He knocked on Adam and Eve’s door and all Eve saw was good in evil and the enemy achieved his goal. He knocked on Jesus’s door but Jesus was too full or word and denies devil a space to occupy Him.
Samson, as strong as he was, was enticed, and was brought down from where God placed him. It is written, “And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, ‘Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and everyone of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.’” (Judges 16:5) Samson was a miracle child born with special instructions from heaven. As regard to Samson, the Bible documents in Judges 13:5, “For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” The man, Samson, ended up blind, because he could not be obedient according to the word of God. Enticement produced a hole in his strength. The hole in Samson’s strength caused his power to become deflated from what God had pumped into him before he was born. God will answer our prayer today, in Jesus’ name. Pray and ask for God’s hand of deliverance in every area of life where you have become a victim of enticement.
Which of your need is leading you to becoming a victim of devil’s enticement? Did the word not promised that, my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus? (Philippians 4:19) Do you believe? Then take to Paul’s admonition as stated in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Abstain from seeing the wicked world; take to the word of God. Today, open your mouth wide and begin to give Him thanks for all He has done; that entire He is doing and all that He will do. Give thanks and do not get enticed.  

FAITH CAPSULE:
Enemy’s enticement will tie one down for destruction.
Which of your need is leading you to becoming a victim of devil’s enticement?