Beloved let me start by congratulating you. By the mercy of God, you and I have made it to December 2023 by the same grace of the Almighty God; we shall joyfully bid 2023 good-bye.

Brethren, it doesn’t matter if all our goals have not been attained.  

For the living there is hope.

We are all familiar with statements like “ while there is life, there is hope” or when hope is lost all is lost.

May I say that when hope is lost, brethren, even faith is lost.

Our faith level can only rise when we are hopeful.   Those that have conditioned themselves to despair,  are the ones that get depressed and sometimes take their own lives.

That would not be our portion in Jesus name.

Those that take such fatal steps do so because; no one has talked to them about hope.

As Christians, we have a duty to comfort others, speak words that give hope to our brethren that have challenges.  It is un- Christ like to mock anybody.

Once you remain hopeful the level of faith rises.

Hebrews 11 vs. 1 ( KJV) : “ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.

Did  you see the word hope in that scripture? .  You need to keep hope alive to receive a miracle.   You need to keep hope alive for the Pastor’s prayer  not to be in vain.

Brethren to keep hope alive, you need to keep negative thoughts out of your mind.     The devil would try to bring down your faith with evil thoughts but you must cast such thoughts out of your mind.

Negative thoughts  could bring about delayed miracle or no miracle at all.

As human beings such negative thoughts come once in a while but if they do, go quickly to  the Lord in prayer or begin to worship God with songs.   Such thoughts would vanish.

God has a word for us in Hebrews 10 vs. 35-36: “ Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath  great recompense  of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise”

Hopeful Christians  have their faith on the rise  and they are the ones that graduate to testifiers.

What level are you now?  Are you hopeful even when the signs around you seem negative?  That exactly is the time to be more hopeful.  It is the time of higher level of faith that leads to testimony.

Brethren, December is the time to keep hope alive. It is the time to vigorously claim your right in Christ. It is the time to demonstrate to your mockers that you didn’t hear them.  When you shut your ears away from mockers, you will hear from God.

When you hear from the LORD, a breakthrough is imminent.

That would be your story in Jesus name.

Brethren, hope brings what you want to you.  Hope is like a magnet. Despair   pulls what you want from you.

Arise and battle the spirit of hopelessness in your life and  your testimony would manifest.

It doesn’t matter what the challenge is,  make up your mind to show compassion.  Be ready to help the poor and the needy.  

Remember the word of God tells us in Proverbs 28 vs. 27: “ He that giveth unto the  poor shall not lack: But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse”.

As you give to the poor, widows, orphans, and the needy in general,   the Lord would grant your desires  because  it is already written that you that giveth to the poor would not lack.

You may desire healing, children, marriage, a better job or any form of promotion, keep hope alive and sustain hope with prayer, praises and thanksgiving.

The manifestation of the LORD’s power in your life would surprise you.

During this  season of joy, try to resist temptations.

May God help you to resist temptations in Jesus name.

The Holy Bible tells us James 1 vs. 12: “ Blessed  is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive  the crown of life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love him”.

If you love God, you would keep his commandments. If your love God you would resist temptations.

Joseph resisted the temptation to sleep with Potiphar’s wife and God took him to a level that a secret affair with  Potiphar’s wife could never have taken him.

Joseph said to Potiphar’s wife  in Genesis 39 vs. 9 : “ There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Joseph had  respect for Potiphar but he feared God. He was concerned about what sin could do to his relationship with God.

The devil persisted using Potiphar’s wife but Joseph resisted the flesh.

Indeed such an ungodly sexual contact you lead have led  to his death and his testimony aborted.

May the Holy Spirit empower us to resist the devil at all times in Jesus name.

Brethren, this season of joy is also the season that youths get married. 

Parents and relations need to pay more attention to the spiritual than to the ceremony.

We usually pay more attention to  parties more than the spiritual duty we owe   our young ones.  This is the reason problems of barrenness, miscarriages, divorce occur in  young marriages.

Parents and the would- be couple need to be prayerful and pay attention to dreams.

Here is a  testimony.

A lady  got into marriage  and on the first  anniversary of her wedding, she had a dream in which someone asked  why she married her husband.  She was told she had no business marrying that person and the  person that appeared to her said,  they would see how she would have children in the marriage.

She either didn’t take it seriously or forgot the dream.  So, she did nothing about the dream.

That was how the demon of barrenness came into her life.

She struggled with it for six years until a friend who knew about her condition invited her to Laughter Foundation Ministry.

To shorten, the story, there she got pregnant and delivered a baby girl on another anniversary of her wedding.

Brethren, God is able to reveal to you what lies ahead for you  in marriage, relationship or even business. Indeed in any aspect of life.

Even for the miracle you desire before this year ends, the secret is with the Lord.

Deuteronomy 29 vs. 29 ( NKJV) gives me this assurance.  It states: “The secret things belong  to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children  forever,  that we may do all the words of this law”.

Allow God to let you into the secret of  success.

I pray that God in his mercy will reveal that secret to   your breakthrough alive.

Keep hope alive.

May I remind you of these programmes.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God  has a weeklong programme with the theme “ Divine Repositioning”, holding from December 4 to December 10 at the Redemption City.

Also, Laughter Foundation International Ministry  has a programme,  Laughter 2023 with the theme “ My miracles Now”.  During these programmes, according to the church, Anointed handkerchiefs  would be given for miracle twins, quick marriage, healing and financial miracles.

It holds on December 10, 2023 during five services hourly programme that commences at 7.30 am to the fifth service of 11.30 am.

Please attend any that the Spirit of God leads you to attend and you shall testify in Jesus name.

Shalom!