⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11

The message of today’s scripture is this – The name of Jesus is higher than ALL names.

Note the following:

1. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross earned Him a name above every name.
2. When you pray in Jesus’ name, heaven promises to respond positively to you.
3. When you give command in Jesus’ name, hell and earth respond to you accordingly.
4. At the name of Jesus, every kneel bows to Him, and consequently to your command.
5. So, the power behind your prayer in Jesus’ name is not you, but the name of Jesus.

With this understanding, face every of your spiritual battles with victory in mind; knowing that as you give commands in Jesus’ name, every kneel will bow. Your day is blessed.

⁸Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Ephesians 4:8 (ASV)

Wow, this is yet another truth – This scripture is profound! Note the following:

1. Jesus has already taken him that held you captive and led it captive.
2. This means, He took your troubles and troubled them permanently.
3. He therefore gave you freedom to live a life of peace and abundance!
4. You are more than a conqueror through Christ, amen.

This truth should be applied in your daily warfare. A proper understanding of the truth about your situation puts you above every anxiety and stress, and also gives you boldness to move forward. However tough the situation you are facing, remember that Jesus has already won the victory for you. With that understanding, you then move forward boldly to challenge the devil and proclaim your victory.

Jesus already ‘…captured the enemy and seized the booty, He handed it all out in gifts to the people’ (Ephesians 4:8, MSG). So, take what belongs to you by faith. You are more than a conqueror through Jesus (Romans 8:37). Amen.

¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (KJV) ¹⁵ and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. (GNB)

Hebrews 2:14-15

Here is another truth about the victory we received on the cross. Note the following points:

1. Jesus destroyed him that had the power of death – i.e. the devil
2. In this way, you became free from the fear of death. This fact must ring in your heart, and you need not fear the devil anymore.
3. The devil – that had the power of death – has been destroyed!
4. Consequently, those who were enslaved by fear of any kind have been set free.

Face each of your days with this revelation and understanding; deliberately confess it every day. Let it mix with your faith and thereby walk victoriously in life. Many people today are living under the fear of death, worried that the devil can destroy them. However, Jesus, when He went to the cross, destroyed the devil, that had the power of death. What is your responsibility? Declare this truth; fight the fight of faith with the understanding, and you are more than conqueror. Amen. 

¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:15

Note the following truth from this scripture:

1. Jesus stripped the devil of his power on the cross
2. Jesus also spoiled (destroyed) those powers and made them of none effect – on the cross
3. Jesus made a public disgrace of spiritual rulers and authorities, leading them as captives in his victory procession!

You need to remember these and declare them during any warfare you are faced with. The devil also knows these facts too, and trembles when you declare them. These are the implications of these facts: the powers of the devil has been spoilt, the works of darkness has been destroyed, the power that brings sickness to your body has been destroyed, whatever could cause you to go into bankruptcy has been destroyed, the power that could cause your marriage to break has been destroyed.  So what must you do? You must declare these truth; you should face each of your days with the understanding that nothing can stop you, in Jesus’ name; that because Jesus went to the cross, you are able to win over all the battles of life.

Be strong in the victory that Jesus Christ received for you on the cross. This is your weapon for this day and always.

¹‘Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ²By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ³For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; ⁴And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:’

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Let your faith be established on the truth of these verses of scripture. This is the gospel truth. Note the following points:

1. Christ died for my sins according to the scriptures – and yours too!
2. Christ was buried, and He rose again the third day, according to the scriptures.

Since we know that the scriptures are infallible, this truth should form the basis of your faith. Herein is the secret to your victory in life and spiritual warfare. It was on this passage that your foundation was set when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

3. Your sins are forgiven since you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and saviour.

Verse 2 of this scripture says we are saved if we keep this truth in memory! Declare this by faith again today, and you will experience victory in every area of your life. Remember, the scriptures cannot be broken. God bless your day.

‘A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’ Proverbs 17:17

‘Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.’ Proverbs 17:17 (MSG)

Friendship has a lot to do with commitment. If your friend does not love you at all times your friendship has not reached a sufficient level of maturity. When seeking friends, look for people you know will love you at all times. A friend that loves you at all times does not imply that they cannot find fault with you; in fact you need friends that will reprimand you when it is called for, speaking the truth to you in love. However, no matter how bad things turn for you, even if you fall into the deepest hole, your true friend will not desert you. While standing for truth, true friends should still (and will) stand by you, until you safely come out your troubles.

Proverbs 18:24 KJV says: ‘A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ Not only should you have a friend that loves you at all times, your friend should also be closer than a brother. Relatives are expected to stick to you and go through times of trouble together; a true friend is expected to be even closer in challenging times. In the same vein, you too should determine to show yourself to be a true friend. Are you a true friend to your friends, and do you think you need to review your friendships? May God give you friends that are closer than a brother, have a good day in Jesus’ name. Amen.

‘Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.’ Proverbs 27:9

Do not fall into that trap of thinking your friends do not influence you. It is important to surround yourself with friends that will refresh your soul.

As the fragrance of a bottle of perfume cannot be contained, the influence your friends have on you cannot be restrained; it will rub off on you. If you surround yourself with haughty people, you will find yourself becoming haughty; surround yourself with slothful people and you stand the risk of becoming a sloth yourself. Naturally, you will adopt some of the behaviours of the friends you keep, negative or positive; so surround yourself with friends that will give you godly counsel. Psalms 1:1 in the Good News Version says:

‘Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God’.

Choose the kind of people you go out for lunch with and sit with at coffee tables every day, watch the conversation you contribute to, and be careful about the jokes you crack with them. Also, in choosing a mentor, consider both their gifts and their character – this is wisdom. Have a great day.

‘He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.’

Proverbs 13:20

If you surround yourself with foolish people you will be destroyed. Your home, business, image, influence will be negatively affected. Foolish people are those who walk in sin, or those who speak before they think. Foolishness in a man has to do with having no place for God in his’s heart.

Surround yourself with friends that will not destroy your life. ‘Keep company with the wise and you will become wise…’ (GNT). Make sure you search for the right kind of friends. Look for friends that will challenge you to be better in your character, work ethics, and family relationship; so you can move to the next level in life. Being selective with whom you become friends with is wise. ‘Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.’ (MSG).

In your business endeavours, look out for those with proven success and ethical principles to associate with. If you desire to develop a good character, hang around with people with good character. A proverbial adage says ‘the sheep that walk with dogs will soon be feeding on faeces’. Take a quick stock of your associations right now, and may God give you the wisdom to make the necessary changes. Have a great day in Jesus’ name. Amen.

‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.’ Genesis 8:22

‘For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop.’ Genesis 8:22 (MSG)

This is the law of God and a principle that all things on earth operate under. If you sow the seed of honour you will reap honour, if you sow in hard work to your destiny and your God-given gifts you will reap the fruit thereof. The Good News Translation says: ‘As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest…’

Sow the seed of time on your gift, your spouse, and your children. Sow the seed of honour and respect. If you do these things, in time, you will reap a dividend. If in the time of planting you do not plant, do not expect to reap anything during the time of harvest. So, sometimes you are in your planting season of life. At such times, do not be discouraged if it seems you are only ‘giving out’ and can’t see the harvest. Your season of harvest will certainly come. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not’. (Galatians 6:9)

In your planting season of life may you know what to do and may God grant you the wisdom you need to do it well. Have a fruitful day, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

²⁶The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. ²⁷And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

Proverbs 27:26-27

Note the following:

1. Verses 23-25 tell us that after gathering all the food during the summer and spring season, there will be enough for all the animals during the winter season.
2. Due to the diligent gathering of food for your animals, you will not lack during the winter time, and can live off the livestock – having meat, milk, and clothing for everyone.

By investing energy ahead of time you ensure the prosperity of your heritage. The good news about God is that it is never too late, the sooner you make a change the better for your future. At whatever age you are right now roll up your sleeves, make up your mind to maximize the moment; when the seasons change you will have enough in reserve to last you through the winter.

When you apply this scripture to every area of your life, starting with today; the benefit with show very soon and all will see it. May God give you the necessary wisdom. Have a good day in Jesus’ name, Amen.