The Oscar Ajoku Blog: Daily Vitamin Devotional

 DAILY VITAMIN - With Faith, Great Things Happen "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen."  (James 5:16 NCV) When we read the theme scripture in the King James Version of the Bible, we sometimes believe that the writer was referring to the prayer of the saint as effectual and dynamic with power; but that isn't what he meant. Considering his illustration of Elijah as a simple man like we are, coupled with this version of scripture in use, we can be sure he was speaking of the prayer of a saint with unwavering faith--a believing person. Anybody can pray, but the ones who pray into results must do so in faith. Elijah was a simple person but he had an uncommon degree of faith; and when he did those wonders, he did them with wavering, knowing that a doubleminded man receives nothing. So, James was only reiterating the Lord's words that when we believe, we put power in the place of pray

  DAILY VITAMIN - Fill Your Heart With Grace "So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God, not from ceremonial rules about eating certain foods--a method which, by the way, hasn't helped those who have tried it" (Hebrews 13:9 TLB) A lot of people think they can be given to God's will by following a set of legalistic rules; but it is not true. The Bible says it is not by power, nor by might, but by His Spirit; because only grace can do this (Zech 4:6-7). Not of him that wills nor runs, it is of the gracious God (Romans 9:16). That's why we are instructed to establish our hearts with grace. And we do that by understanding that we can only please God by faith and walking in the leading of the Spirit, because of what Jesus has perfected on our behalfs. Remember, it is He who makes you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Christ (Heb 13:21). His favo

 DAILY VITAMIN - Approach God With His Word  "God is not a man that he should lie; He doesn't change his mind like humans do." (Numbers 23:19 NLT) The Bible tells us that God expects us to plead our case before Him that we might be justified (Isa 43:26); however a lot of us fail to get the best out of it because we don't know how to. What God expects we do is to bring His Word with us  in prayer. And that never fails because He honors it.  Consider Jacob. He went to God with the Word (Gen 32:9-12), and it resulted in His change of story experience. The name Israel wasn't just a symbol of the change of nomenclature, it was a change of his entire experience. SO, let's do the same. If you need wisdom in a particular area, remind Him that He gives wisdom to all who are good (Eccl 2:26). If you are experiencing some sort of memory loss, remind Him that your memory has been declared blessed by Him (Pro 10:7). If you are sick, remind Him that He promised to restore h

  DAILY VITAMIN - Desiring God "His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him--though he is not far from any one of us." (Acts 17:27 TLB) In our theme scripture, the word "feel" represents desire. The original Greek translates to reach out or to grope. Before we become Spirit-filled, that was the best we could do--feel toward Him, and it is still what we have to do intentionally despite our new status till our last breath. Long story short, if would seek HIm with great desire, we would always find Him. Remember what Jesus said: those who hunger and thirst after Him will be satisfied (Matt 5:6). Desire is a major ingredient in getting God's attention. Whether in prayer or through fasting and fellowship, desire must be in place to see result. Until our heart is given to it, answers may not be given. Recall that it is the heartfelt prayer of the righteous that avails much (James 5:16). That is, whe

  DAILY VITAMIN - Count On God Alone "But I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone." (Psalm 62:5 TLB) The world may have many options, but we the children of God have only one option. One that works. And all we have is God, and so all we do must be according to His pleasure and will. Others may put their hopes in other devices, but ours is only upon the LORD. That's what David practiced and teaches us to; and he said it's because He ONLY is our rock and salvation. He ONLY is our true defense, glory and strength (v.6-7) And so therefore, we must trust in Him and rely upon Him first (v.8). You see, this is important because no man can help except God helps you first (Psalm 60:11-12). It is His help that makes other things count and successful. And then he tells us not to try and do it our own way--that is finding shortcuts that may eventually cut us short, because they always do (Isaiah 50:10-11). And not on our

  DAILY VITAMIN - Stay On Path With God "And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans." (Romans 8:28 TLB) Please just drink from that scripture some more. It is telling us that things may not seem great presently; your past may not have been terrific, nor your background appealing, but with God it will work out for your good. That is, you'll end as God already declared you to--better than your yesterday. Nothing can change it; not your current circumstances nor your future challenges because what God has done, He does in terms of forever (Eccl 3:14). However, please pay attention: this isn't for everyone. Though the KJV makes it seem like it is for all He has called in the name of Christ, but the NLT shows that it is to those who stay on the path of God's leading. Those who are living in line with His purpose for them--doing all He requires of them; because as long as you stay on path doing all God s

  DAILY VITAMIN - The Holy Spirit Is The New Testament In You "He is the one who has helped us tell others about his new agreement to save them...The old way, trying to be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives them life." (2 Cor 3:6 TLB) The blood of Christ was the price for a better covenant; but what was this covenant? God fully resident in us, that we may be one with Him as new creatures fulfilling His will in Christ (Jer 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:27). And this is established by virtue of His Spirit in us. Little wonder why in Second Corinthians 3, Paul tells the church that they are the evidence of his apostleship to them now that they have been converted by the Spirit, and not the several letters he had written which eventually make up our biblical New Testament. And so therefore, it is not just these written words in the Bible that transform us, but the Spirit of God at work in us through His Word. That's why the eunu

  DAILY VITAMIN  - Follow Up Every Soul Won "Where they helped the believers to grow in love for God and each other. They encouraged them to continue in the faith in spite of all the persecution, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations." (Acts 14:22 TLB) God doesn't just expect us to go out and win souls alone as instructed in Matt 28:19-20. He expects us to follow up on the converts consistently until they are established in the faith. Like flowers, we must tend to them until they fully bloom. That was what Paul was doing in our theme verse, and exactly what he was admonishing the Colossian saints of (Col 2:6-7). It said "as ye have been taught," by whom? By Paul himself. He was a man who followed up on every one converted soul until they were strong and established in the faith. Now since all these things are written for our learning, it means we are expected to do the same. So don't just go out to preach and w

 DAILY VITAMIN - God Can Do Anything "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27 TLB) There is nothing impossible for God to do. In fact, it is stated clearly that with God all things are possible. So there's nothing you can ever desire of Him in accordance to His will that He can and will not do for you. David referred to Him as the God that performs all things (Psalm 57:2); and as a result as soon as we call unto Him, He sends help from heaven and delivers us from all our reproach (v.3). Paul calls Him the God who can do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think by His power at work in us (Eph 3:20). All we just need to do to actualize this dimension of God in our everyday lives is to stand strong in faith (Mark 9:23). Abraham did that, and in response received what was termed impossible for his family (Romans 4:17-21). When we wait on the Lord with unwavering faith, He opens up portals of impossibility breaking t

  DAILY VITAMIN - Keep Trusting God "Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord; act like men; be strong." (1 Cor 16:13 TLB) The Bible tells us that God will help us. We must only refuse to be confounded by the things we see or hear; but to stay strong, looking towards the Lord with trust like a flint. You see, a flint is a flattened rock that faces upward. Now regardless of how it rains or heats upon it, it doesn't change its direction. It keeps facing up. Likewise, come rain or shine, keep your eyes on the Lord like a flint and you will never be ashamed (Isaiah 50:7). Remember all who trust in Him will never be put to shame (Psalm 34:22); thus He won't fail you either. Things may seem hard at the moment but trust Him to come through for you, and He will. Trust in His Word and He won't disappoint you (Psalm 37:3-5). The Lord has been mindful of us, the Word says, because we trusted Him, and will bless us for it (Psalm 115:9-12). Hence, keep

  DAILY VITAMIN - Justified From All Things "Everyone who trusts in Him is freed from all guilt and declared righteous..." (Acts 13:39 TLB) Do you know what Paul meant when he said that all who believe in Christ are justified from all things (KJV)? Well, he meant a complete brand new start. No past in sin anymore, only a present in God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that old things are passed away, all things are made new. In the days of Moses, under the law, there were certain sins that required yearly offerings to have them fully atoned for, but in Christ it has been made once for all (Hebrew 9:11-14). You see, before Christ redemptive work man was bound to pay for his past sins with his future, so he barely had one, but through Jesus we have one now. A bright one at that; thereby revealing that in Him there's nothing you've done in the past that hasn't been atoned for. He did it once and for all, and justified you forever in the presence of God. You may had done thos

  DAILY VITAMIN - The Key To Prosperity “Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34:10 TLB) In Proverbs 30, we are told that some happenings are unsolicited yet we witness them occur on a daily basis, over and over again. About slaves becoming kings, rebels prospering and the most distasteful women still getting married (v. 21-23). If these things can happen as they do today, it then means there is nothing that can’t be done in your life. If a slave can inherit a kingdom, how much more a child of God?  Remember, you are a child of God, and poverty isn’t God’s plan for you. Our theme verse says that even lions in the prime do, but those among us who reverence God will never lack any god thing. That means no poverty, because poverty is the lack of good things. For instance, good health. But if the Lord could heal lepers, why should you stay down with some skin disease? If he could raise the dead, why can’

  DAILY VITAMIN - You Are Loaded “We have all benefitted from the rich blessings he brought to us, blessing upon blessings heaped upon us.” (John 1:16 TLB) The apostle John says because of Christ, we are bombarded with grace upon grace. That’s how the King James Versions puts it. It seems ordinary when we don’t fully comprehend what grace means, but on the contrary when we do, we’d know that it is indeed the opposite of ordinary. Grace is the greatest blessing that can ever be given. It’s the reason why God came as a man to die for us. And we are told that He abundantly gives us this same grace. It therefore means that it is impossible for you to be helpless, because grace leaves us with an abundance of help.  In the Old Testament, David was a man who had a foretaste of grace. Another was Abraham. And David said that such a man shall lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). When you see the scripture say “turn toward us O Lord and we shall be saved” (Psalm 80:7), it’s a cry for grace. They un

  DAILY VITAMIN - How To Overcome Anxiety “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.” (Philippians 4:6 TLB) Being anxious can sometimes be an inevitable thing as humans; if it wasn’t God wouldn’t teach us how to evade it. Anxiety is a momentary impulse that fills your very being with a state of fright and a belief of being bound to fail or disappointed. And it happens to even the best of us. However, we can win over the urge to be anxious. In our theme scripture, God teaches us how. We are told that when we begin to feel this feeling of insecurity, we must give ourselves to prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Unlike what many our motivational teachers proffer, words of affirmation don’t come first—at least not scripturally, prayer does. As we begin to plunge our being with word of God as we pray, our spirit gets revitalized, casting off the shadows of fear from our soul. And then we give thanks

  DAILY VITAMIN - No Evil Shall Touch You “But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you shall succeed, and you will have justice against every courtroom lie. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. This is the blessing I have given you, says the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17 TLB) The Bible never says that evil wouldn’t come around but it does say that we shall not be overcome by it. David said he walked through death yet it couldn’t touch him (Psalm 23:4). The same man confessed by the Spirit that this was possible because God proclaimed that no one can touch his anointed and do his prophets no harm (Psalm 105:15). That includes you as well, and it is the blessing for this day. When Isaiah said in the coming day, he meant the days after the Spirit of Christ is shed mightily upon us. And that is today, tomorrow and forever till the Lord returns. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you anoints you as a member of God’s household. So you can’t be touched, because whoever touches you touch