Cities without walls

[The Glory Unveiled]

“People who cannot control themselves are like cities without walls to protect them.” [ Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭28‬ ERV‬‬ ]

God has granted us the gift of choice and the capacity to control ourselves because it is a necessity. Self-control and discipline serve as the protective barriers for the human soul and body, safeguarding against harm. Just as a city without defensive walls is susceptible to various forms of attacks, lacking self-control and discipline leaves us vulnerable to every kind of assault. The integrity of our defense walls weakens with each small compromise. When compromise becomes a habitual practice, it leads to enslavement. Those who grow accustomed to captivity become compliant and easily submit to the commands and authority of others, even those inferior to them. Initially, they may rebel against the temptations of the devil, but if this rebellion doesn’t yield the desired outcomes, their captivity deepens. This is why many individuals find themselves trapped in challenging situations and come to accept their harsh experiences as fate. In reality, God has not bestowed upon us a spirit of timidity and fear but one of self-control, love, and power (2 Timothy 1:7). The Spirit given by God cultivates self-control and discipline within us, forming a protective barrier for our lives. However, persistent compromise weakens and shatters the protective wall around our souls, exposing us to danger. People who struggle to control themselves were once able to maintain that control until they started making small compromises. Those minor compromises are akin to the “little foxes” that ravage the vineyards of self-control, jeopardizing the flourishing vines (Song of Songs 2:15). Protect your vineyard and give rest to your soul and body.


Prayer_Bead: Shepherd of our souls, thank you for giving us the capacity to protect our flourishing vines.

Wisdom_Quote: Little compromises are the little foxes that break the vine.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

World conquerors

[The Glory Unveiled]

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” [ 1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV ]

The Lord Jesus overcame the world, the devil, sin, and the grave, and He has become a symbol of victory for those who believe. We believe from a position of faith, which is the power that triumphs over the world. The world, with everything in it, was called from the unseen realm into the seen realm. The only mechanism that gives us the opportunity to mimic this possibility is our faith. We have the ability to move mountains, stop the mouths of lions, calm storms, halt the sun, tame the flames of fire, and even raise the dead. All these and many more are possible because of faith. Through faith, we reconstruct the visible world with invisible realities. The Lord Jesus left us an example through His life, and we can replicate that life by believing in Him. We overcome the world and its systems through our faith in the system of God, which is Jesus. As 1 John 5:4 (TPT) states, “Every child of God overcomes the world because our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.” The believer’s strength lies in their faith. When Proverbs 24:10 mentions that “the strength of the man who faints on the day of adversity is small,” it emphasizes the importance of faith. We need faith, especially when facing adversities and challenges. Examples like the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:20, the Centurion in Matthew 8:5-10, the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:22-28, and all those who activated their faith in the face of adversity are strong because their minds are set on Jesus, the One who overcame the world. Your victory over the world is bound to your faith in Jesus. Do you want to conquer the world? Turn to Jesus.

Prayer_Bead: Prince of Peace, thank you for the victory you have given me in you.

Wisdom_Quote: Your victory over the world is in your faith.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Apple of His eyes

[The Glory Unveiled]

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [ Matthew 3:17 NIV ]

God has eyes for just one person, one picture: His only begotten Son. Anything else does not catch His attention. No wonder in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9). Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith in Him, it is impossible to please God. There’s only one identity (personality) that pleases God: His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The other sons cannot please Him by their own merits, no matter how well they try. Sin has corrupted them to the core of their souls, so they can do nothing about their relationship with God. Just as Ishmael (son of Abraham) couldn’t have done anything to change how he was perceived as far as the promise is concerned. But for us, there is a way around our predicament. We can clothe ourselves with the identity of our elder brother, the Lord Jesus, and like Jacob, who clothed himself with the identity of his brother, we can receive the status and blessings of our brother as if they were ours, only that they will truly be ours. Now, since God has eyes for just one, we can only get God’s eyes on us when we adorn our bodies with the identity of that One, Jesus. From our anchor text, the mind of God is very clear as far as who pleases Him is concerned. In another place, in Matthew 17, God reaffirmed His decision on who pleases Him. The anchor scripture was God’s proclamation during the baptism event of His Son. As if to make everyone present aware that He had eyes for just one person. And that statement is still true till tomorrow. God has eyes for just one person, His Son Jesus, and everyone who bears the image of His Son. There is no other way to the heart of God except through the image of His Son. Would you say yes to Jesus so that you will become a child who pleases God too?

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for finding me in your Son. Help me to remain submitted to Him as you transform me by Him.

Wisdom_Quote: God is well pleased with the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Powered for your storm

[The Glory Unveiled]

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. [ Judges 6:13 KJV ]

There is a common notion held by many people that if God is with a person, they are not supposed to experience challenges. However, we can discern from our text above that the presence of challenges is not an indication that God is not with a person, nor is the absence of challenges a sign of God’s presence with someone. So, the fact that God is with you will not always lead to the absence of challenges. In fact, the absence of challenges is not a sign that God is with you; often, the opposite is true. Gideon was a weak, fearful man who struggled with an inferiority complex. In the way he described himself and his need for validation from God regarding what God said He would do, it becomes clear that he didn’t have much faith in himself. Sometimes, challenges reveal the investment of God in us. Until the Midianites taunted the Israelites, Gideon wouldn’t have realized that he had something to offer in the deliverance of his country and people. The presence of challenges in the face of God’s abiding presence is a call to unleash the treasures of God’s mighty deposit of power within you. It is not a confirmation of God’s absence; rather, it is an opportunity to exercise our faith. When the disciples called out to Jesus for help during a storm, Jesus asked them, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:23-24). Jesus expected them to rebuke the storm because they had the power to do so. Meanwhile, the storms occurred even though Jesus (God) was with them. The storms were not a sign that Jesus wasn’t with them because He was. Instead, it was an opportunity for them to display their God-given power. The next time you face a storm, don’t question like Gideon whether God is with you. Instead, confront your storm with faith and turn the situation around for God’s glory.

Prayer_Bead: Mighty Father, thank you for the deposit of your power in my life. Help me to unleash it in the calming of every storm around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: Battles are not an announcement of God’s absence in a life.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Keep your Eden

[The Glory Unveiled]

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [ Genesis 2:15 KJV ]

The statement above, our anchor scripture, suggests that the garden had been created before man was brought into it. Before God entrusts us with our destinies and assignments, He first prepares the stage for executing those assignments. So, if you find yourself on the scene, it’s a communication of your assignment and destiny. The garden was intended to nurture and sustain man. Even though the garden was made to provide for all of man’s needs, he needed to tend to it to ensure a continuous yield. This revelation shows us that even the things that provide for us are supposed to be kept and maintained; otherwise, that supply could be cut off. The garden is only a garden because someone is assigned to keep it in good shape. The supply of many people has been cut because they refuse to maintain their Eden. God has provided the system that should supply for us, but it needs to be maintained. Whatever our gifts are, they are the tools we need to work in our Eden, our place of work. This is why it’s crucial to identify our gifts, talents, and skills and refine them. Our gifts become potent enough to maintain our Eden when we refine them through mentorship, practice, observation, and more. Get busy with your gifts and skills in whichever garden God has placed you to tend. Enter the garden of your assignment and maintain it with the quality of your gifts, skills, and talents. Remember that gardens can be lost, so don’t get too comfortable and don’t relent on your assignment.


Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for your love. Thank you for the skills and gifts you have given me to keep my garden.

Wisdom_Quote: Your garden [assignment] is proof that you have a gift.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

A Relational Power

[The Glory Unveiled]

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: [ Acts 1:3 KJV ]

After His suffering on the cross, the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples, teaching them about the kingdom of God with convincing proofs. This marked the culmination of all they had heard from Jesus. Apostle John, one of Jesus’ disciples, recorded this in his first epistle: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1) He was describing Jesus, but his choice of words suggested that Jesus was more than the words they had heard and the man they had touched and interacted with many times in the past. It described a living experience. This knowledge released the power for infallible proofs. The sons of Sceva had no personal knowledge or experience of Jesus, so they had no access to the power that provides evidence. When they called upon the name that was supposed to usher them into the realm of power, they were confronted and overpowered by a demon-possessed man (Acts 19:14-15). To manifest the life and power of Jesus, one cannot avoid the realm of experiencing and knowing Him personally. The Lord Jesus still reveals Himself to many people, and those willing to see and hear Him can do so through His Word. Instead of pursuing the power of God like the sons of Sceva, it is better to pursue a relationship with Jesus, the source of power. Let’s actively seek Jesus.

Prayer_Bead: Almighty Father, thank you for the revelation of your Son to me. I embrace the worth of light available to me. Let infallible proofs be seen. In Jesus name. Amen.

Wisdom_Quote: Jesus power is a relational power.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

God’s Word to You

[The Glory Unveiled]

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. [ Psalms 119:105 KJV ]

Light is a seemingly useless commodity for the blind. Despite its role in facilitating unhindered vision and enabling various activities, it remains unappreciable to those without sight. Therefore, while light holds great significance, its value remains elusive to those lacking vision. Just as natural light is futile to the blind, the word of God similarly offers no benefit to the spiritually blind. “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Additionally, in John 14:17, it is explained that the world cannot accept the Spirit because it neither sees nor knows Him. However, believers, who have the Spirit dwelling within them, can comprehend Him. The Holy Spirit embodies the essence of the word of God, which is light. For those ensnared by sin, symbolized by the world, the light of God’s word, which is the Spirit, remains invisible. The word of God underscores the inability of the blind to derive benefit from what they cannot perceive. To truly experience the beauty and blessings of light, the blind must first gain the gift of sight. Jesus came to bestow light upon us while we were in darkness, but He first grants us the ability to perceive this light through our belief in Him. Our faith in Him confers upon us the right to become sons, endowing us with the capacity to see. Consequently, God’s word serves as a lamp to guide our steps and illuminate our path, directing and enlightening our way in a dark world.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving me the ability to see your Light that brings salvation. I embrace your gift, in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: God’s word is lamp and light to those who have Jesus.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The new identity folks

[The Glory Unveiled]

“My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine!” [ Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

All of humanity shares one old identity, one that has been branded upon us like a tag. For many generations and centuries, we have attempted to remove that tag from our backs, but all our efforts have been in vain. Through Jesus, we have come to realize that the old identity cannot be repaired; it must be replaced by a new one. However, for the new identity to emerge, the old one must die, and the only place where the old can die is on the cross. By faith, many people who believe in Jesus also went to the cross with Him and died to their old identities. But it didn’t end there. When Jesus resurrected, He did so with a new body, signifying a new identity, and so everyone who went to the cross with Him also rose with a new identity. One notable thing is that we do not have absolute authority over our new life. This new life is a gift over which we have no control. It is Jesus’ life, and we must live it on His terms, not ours. The Lord Jesus dispenses His life into us every time through the virtue of our faith. Our faith, therefore, becomes the umbilical cord that connects us to His life. The value of our new life is Jesus, just as the price for our new identity is His blood. We cannot afford to squander the precious sacrifice of the Son of God for our new identity by living contrary to the life of the one who gave Himself for us. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you don’t have a life of your own any longer. Allow yourself to be like a membrane through which the essence and personality of God can pass and be displayed.

Prayer_Bead: Our Father and our God, thank you for your great love. Help me to live your gift of new life.

Wisdom_Quote: The life of the believer is not theirs.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Touch the experience

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.” [ 2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ TPT‬‬ ]

It is possible to search for something that is already in your hands; medically, it could be attributed to spatial neglect. This situation is often humorously referred to as “looking for your glasses while you’re wearing them” or “searching for something in plain sight.” It highlights the idea that people can sometimes overlook or struggle to find things that are right in front of them. When it comes to our inheritance or identity in God, this condition is very common among a large portion of believers. Many believers go around searching for what God has already placed within them, whether it pertains to life or godliness. The scripture above emphasizes this truth: everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by God’s divine power. However, the reason why we don’t seem to find all those treasures is a lack of knowledge. The scripture goes on to guide us in discovering the experience of these things deposited in us. This experience comes through knowing Jesus. Everything we need was first hidden in Jesus, and when Jesus is revealed within us through our experiential knowledge of Him, we get to experience those promises as reality. Unless that happens, every good thing we have within us (in Christ), in an uncondensed form as the knowledge of Him, will not manifest physically. When we neglect the knowledge of Jesus, the knowledge of our true inheritance, we lose the practical experience of the promises. Stop searching; the answer is inside of you, encapsulated in the knowledge of Jesus. So, seek knowledge.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for glorious manifestation of your goodness in me. I maximize your love gift in me through my rich knowledge of you.

Wisdom_Quote: What you are searching for might be in your hands.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

The journey into sonship

[The Glory Unveiled]

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [ Romans 8:14 KJV ]

Sonship is an important issue in the kingdom of God because God relates with us as family. And as far as that relationship is concerned, you are either a family or you are not. There is no middle ground. According to the order of God’s eternal plan, even though humanity broke fellowship with God through the disobedience of Adam, we can come back into fellowships with God by believing in His Son Jesus who bore the punishment for our disobedience. Our belief in Jesus becomes a new birth experience, one that puts the Spirit of Christ in us which is also a down payment for our future inheritance. But then, it does not end there, the deposit of the Spirit is only the beginning of our journey into sonship. The scripture says that when we come to that place of being led by the Spirit who dwells in us, then we are sons. The Lord Jesus demonstrated how we come into sonship with His own earthly life. He, though he was equal with the Father, humbled Himself and suffered through obedience. And for Him to obey meant that He allowed Himself to be led by the Holy Spirit. He did not take matters into his hands. He had to learn obedience like an ordinary human, through the things He suffered. We must follow the example of Jesus. And allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit as a hen leads her chicks. It is not enough to say we are Christians or we are children of God. Are we being led by the Holy Spirit in our day to day walk with God? Are we daily coming into deeper knowledge of God? Are we abandoning our will for the will of God? And so, are you a son of God? Regardless of your gender in the flesh, are you being led by the Spirit of God?

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord, thank you for the grace to follow your leading daily. Help me to do away with my will whenever I have to choose between what you want and what I want. In Jesus’ name.


Wisdom_Quote: The Holy Spirit leads only sons.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.