Victory Over Curses (7)

Date: Thursday, 22nd May, 2025

Texts:  Ephesians 2:1-2; Ezekiel 36:26-27

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Can you imagine how beautiful this world would have been if there were no curses? Right from the time of Adam till now, imagine a world without the pain that comes with curses. But we can put the question in another way- “Can you imagine how beautiful this world would have been if there were no acts of disobedience (which leads to curses)?”

In Genesis 4, when Cain killed his brother, Abel, he was cursed and he became a wanderer- a vagabond roaming the streets. How many such mad men do we have today suffering from the consequences of their evil actions? Imagine a world without acts that lead to such ugly situations.

Imagine a world in which there is no need for courts, judges, prisons or law enforcement agents- a world where everybody fears God, obey their conscience and does the right thing whether people are watching or not.

The Word of God makes us to understand that there is a spirit at work in the world which makes such reality impossible. This spirit is the spirit of disobedience which is sponsored by invisible satanic powers ruling the air. Ephesians 2:1-2. These are the real root causes of curses.

If we must have victory over curses, we must attack the spirit of disobedience from the roots. And ask the Lord for a new heart and a new spirit- the Spirit of Obedience; the Spirit Of Holiness- Ezekiel 36:26-27. Then shall we be truly blessed and live peaceful and fulfilling lives in Christ.

Prayer Nugget: Father, I uproot every stubborn and rebellious heart; and ask for a yielded heart of obedience in Jesus name.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 1-7

Victory Over Curses (6)

Date: Tuesday, 20th May, 2025

Text:  Romans 12:14

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

By the spoken Word of God, the Heaven and Earth were formed- Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 33:6. Since we are made in his image, we should not be surprised that our words too are powerful. Our words have both creative and destructive power depending of how we have trained ourselves and on which side of the divide we choose to be.

This is why we are enjoined not to repay evil for evil but rather pray for those who persecute us. Romans 12:14 says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”  Our Lord gave us a perfect example in that he blessed his persecutors; Deacon Stephen did the same. Luke 23:34; Acts 7:57-60

Sometimes our children can behave in such manner that we get very angry. But there is a Yoruba adage that says, no matter how stubborn a child is, the parent will not feed him to the tigers. No matter how angry you are as a parent, be mindful of your utterances over your children because words are powerful.

Even if the enemy is trying to manipulate your children so as to provoke you to curse them , must you cooperate with the evil one in actualizing the plan of the foe?  

It is better to keep silent when provoked than to lay a curse on your child out of anger or frustration.  Just like footballers learn by practice godliness can be learnt by personal training. Habitually practice the art of blessing  your family. Make up your mind never to use a negative word whether the person merits it or not.

Reflective Nugget: Let your mouth be strictly reserved for blessing.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 8-10

Victory Over Curses (5)

Date: Monday, 19th May, 2025

Text:  1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Parents can make or mar the destinies of their children with their verbal pronouncements over them. This starts from the name the parents name the child. Names are prophetic. The destiny of a child is wrapped up in his name. This is why you cannot afford to name a child casually.

It could be erroneous to name a child based on circumstances that surround his birth. Satan knows that some cultures give names to their children based on the prevailing circumstances of his birth;therefore, he manipulates those circumstances to manipulate them to give their children  negative names.

Jabez’s mother made this mistake. His mother had named him Jabez (which means sorrow), because she gave birth to him in pain- 1 Chronicles 4:9. His life was thus full of sorrow till he cried to God for mercy.

Ichabod’s mother made a similar error. The baby was a son of Phinehas, a priest, whom she gave birth to on the day the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines. His mother, on hearing of the capture, her husband’s death, and her father-in-law’s death, named the baby boy Ichabod, meaning, “Where is the glory?” W e never heard of his deliverance from this evil curse- 1 Samuel 4:19-22.

In the case of Jacob, the power behind his name Jacob (which means supplanter or a deceiver) continued to affect him. He found himself deceiving his dad and cheated his brother. But a time came that Jacob cried to to God all night and his name was changed to Israel (a prince with God); from then on, his destiny was positively changed- Genesis 32:22-32.

Reflective Nugget:  As a parent, what name (s) did you give your children?

Bible in One Year: Ezra 5-7

Victory Over Curses (4)

Date: Sunday, 18th May, 2025

Text:  Proverbs 18:21

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Both blessings and curses are pronouncements; in other words, they are products of the tongue. Today’s text says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit- Proverbs 18:21.

Again, the word of God says, “And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.” James 3:6

Perjury is the act of deliberately lying under oath. You see some false testifiers in court lying even after taking their oaths- just to cover up their tracks. Peter, in an attempt to convince his accusers that he ‘never knew Christ”, he denied the Lord three times and even called down curses on himself-Matthew 26:69-75.

But thank God Peter found mercy and was restored after he repented. Have you invoked curses on yourself on oath even when you know you are lying? Or while you were younger have you promised to marry someone and invoked curses on yourself under oath and you have defaulted?

Retrace your steps and plead to God for mercy. May the one who restored Peter have mercy on you in Jesus name.

Have you been ensnared into making strange covenants with the devil and his agents through oaths? You can be set free by the higher covenant in the Blood of Jesus- Hebrews 12:22-24.

Prayer Nugget: Father, have mercy on me and set me free from the trap of every strange covenants by the Blood of Jesus.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 1-4

Victory Over Curses (3)

Date: Saturday, 17th May, 2025

Text:  Numbers 23:1-23

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

Some try to manipulate the destinies of others by casting a spell on them. Out of envy, some evil people may try to bring down a prosperous individual by laying a curse on them.

But can anybody curse who God has blessed? Today’s devotional seeks to answer this question.

In today’s text, we see that Balak, the king of Moab, felt intimidated by the increasing strength and number of the Israelites and their potential threat to his country, Moab. The king out of envy, hired Balaam, a prophet who was known for his ability to predict the future, to curse the Israelites. God intervened and directed Balaam not to curse the Israelites, instead he instructed him to bless them. 

Despite Balak’s attempts to persuade him to curse, Balaam repeatedly delivered blessings upon Israel instead.

The word of God says, “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!” Numbers 23:23

According to Proverbs 26:2, the word of God says, “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” The Easy To Read Version of the Bible puts the verse this way, “Don’t worry when someone curses you for no reason. Nothing bad will happen. Such words are like birds that fly past and never stop.”

When you are on the side of the Lord, and someone wants to curse you out of envy, you have nothing to worry about.

Prayer Nugget: Father, I decree and declare that every curse issued against me turn to blessing in Jesus Name.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 35-36

Victory Over Curses (2)

Date: Friday, 16th May, 2025

Text:  Dueteronomy 33:8-11

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

When a man is blessed he enjoys the support of the forces of Heaven above, the forces of this Earth and the forces beneath the Earth- Genesis 49:25-26. Such a man will put in little effort but get great results. If he is a soldier that goes to battle, the Hosts of Heaven will join him to destroy his enemies. Whatever he touches will always prosper. Such a man will never lack help from God and Man. Things will be falling in proper place for him without knowing why.

On the contrary, if a man is cursed he will operate under the attack of the forces of Hell.he will put in great effort and get little results. He will seek for help from men and get none. Instead of him to increase he will be diminishing. When they are sharing good things, it will finish by the time it gets to his turn. Mysterious losses he can’t explain will just be happening to such a person. May that not be your portion in Jesus name.

Even if you are a carrier of a curse, you can get delivered by moving close to the God who can turn your curse to blessing.

Levi and Simeon massacred the entire family of Shechem because a prince from that family raped their sister Dinah- Genesis 34. This issue angered their father so much so that he laid a curse on the two of them in Genesis 49:5-7. However, the curse in the life of Levi and his generation was broken because he dedicated his life exclusively to the service of the Most High.

When the opportunity came and the whole of Israel backslid, and Moses made a call to know who was on the Lord’s side, the Levites separated themselves from the others and took sides with God in obedience. At that point their situation was turned around and their curse was turned to blessing- Exodus 32;Deuteronomy 33:8-11.

Have you been cursed because of a negative thing you did? All hope is not lost only if you will surrender your life to Christ and dedicate yourself to him. Devote yourself to service of God’s  kingdom and he will turn your situation around in Jesus name.

Action Nugget: Devote yourself to service of God’s  kingdom and he will turn your situation around in Jesus name

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 32-34

 Victory Over Curses

 Date: Thursday, 15th May, 2025

 Text:  Galatians 3:13-14

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

The first place the word, “curse” was mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 3. It came as a result of man’s disobedience to God’s clear instructions. The negative pronouncements from the Most High against humanity came when man decided to set aside the commandments of God and chose instead to go his own way.

On the contrary blessings come directly as a result of obedience to the will and plan of God. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, says, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

There are families that carry generational curses because an ancestor did something which led to a negative pronouncement on the unborn generations. An example was Gehazi who went behind his master Elisha to fraudulently accept a gift from Namaan. He provoked a curse from Elisha that transferred Naaman’s leprosy to  cling to Gehazi and his descendants forever.” 2 Kings 5:1-27

Gehazi’s unborn children suffered from an incurable disease of which they personally know nothing about.

Have you noticed a negative trend that runs in your family or lineage? Don’t take it as a mere coincidence.

Thank God for Jesus’s whose death on the Cross has cancelled the curse- Galatians 3:13-14. Repent from your sinful lifestyle, surrender to Jesus’ management today; forsake sin; confess any generational sins (be it known or unknown- God knows). ask for mercy and break every generational curse by the Blood of Jesus.

Action Nugget: Take the above spiritual steps and don’t stop praying until the negative trend becomes terminated in your life.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 29-31

 Self Examination (3)

 Date: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025

 Text:  James 1:22-24

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

When you stand in front of a mirror you are able to see yourself the way you are in the real sense of it. If there is any speck, pimple, spot, wrinkle, you are able to see and make the necessary adjustments.

The word of God acts as a mirror which shows who we truly are- James 1:22-24 . It reveals our shortcomings and weaknesses and reveals areas of our lives where we need to make amends.

The mirror of the word reveals the true intention and exposes the secrets of our hearts- Hebrews 4:12. We may not be comfortable when we are under the spotlight of God’s word.  A lot of people don’t feel comfortable under the light and mirror of God’s word.

If you shy away from the truth of God’s word, you are like a man who sweeps his dirt under a carpet. Why not confront your shortcomings once and for all and make the necessary adjustments?

Some measure themselves against the wrong standards- culture, traditions, what is trending and in vogue; social influencers, popular opinion etc. But there is a way that seems right unto a man but the end is way of death- Proverbs 14:12

There are several avenues through which you can have access to the mirror of the word. You could have access the mirror individually through the personal study of God’s word. Corporately, you could access the word in the congregation of God’s people. That is why we are commanded not to forsake the assembly of God’s people- Hebrews 10:25

Accept the chastisements, rebuke and reproof of God’s word with humility and love.

Action Nugget: Regularly engage the mirror of the word, confront your shortcomings and make the necessary adjustments.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 25-28

 Self Examination (2)

 Date: Tuesday, 13th May, 2025

 Text:   1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

I heard the story of a missionary who went to village of drunkards to preach the gospel to them. Unfortunately, the drunkards converted him and he became a worse drunkard than the people he met in the village. The drunkards had won his soul to the devil!

Drifting and backsliding takes place subtly; with little, little compromises here and there. When things that were not hitherto allowed begins to creep unnoticed into your life and you begin to react by saying the seemingly inconsequential, “It doesn’t matter.”

The devil is a serpent (Revelation 12:9).  Animal psychologists say, a snake can live in a house for a whole year unnoticed. The devil can patiently hide in a man’s life and influence his backsliding for over thirty years until he causes a permanent separation between the fellow and his God, if allowed.

One of the problems Peter had was his overconfidence. He was so sure he wouldn’t deny Christ even when the Lord warned him that he was going to deny him repeatedly . Instead of him to cry to God for grace to remain steadfast, he was so confident that he had the ability to stand in the face of trials.

We all know he denied the Lord three times- Matthew 26:69-75. Where was his self-confidence? It was gone with the winds!

The word of God says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. “ 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Action Nugget: Heed to the Lord’s warning for us always watch and pray so that we fall not into temptations- Matthew 26:41.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 21-24

Self Examination

 Date: Monday, 12th May, 2025

Text:   2 Corinthians 13:5

Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan

Exhortation:

A student who waits for the examination day before attempting likely questions may not likely come out with flying colours.

For example, a smart Mathematics student would have solved plenty of likely examination questions  and so gained mastery and speed in solving likely exam questions. This is the wisdom behind self examination.

A student who has overwhelmingly examined himself using several practice texts will enter the actual examination with confidence that he has sufficiently prepared for the D-Day. This is also the wisdom behind mock examinations. It psychologically prepares student for the real test by simulating  the conditions and format of an actual exam, helping students identify their weaknesses and measure their levels of preparedness.

The word of God says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

Many have died and gone to Hell because they lived their lives without examining themselves.

The word of God says, “Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit? 2 Corinthians 13:5 AMP

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:31

One reason why we should read, study and meditate on the word of God daily is to examine ourselves; measuring our lives against the standard of God’s word.

Action Nugget: Using the word of God as the yardstick, open up your heart for a thorough self examination.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 17-20