TODAY’S DEVOTION (THURSDAY 23RD JANUARY 2025)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 KJV
WELCOME TO THE 22ND DAY OF OUR YEAR OF VICTORY.
Yes, the declaration has not changed, it is our year if victory and will be our year of victory. It does not matter what happens, we will come out victorious.
I believe, God will not call it a year of victory, if there will be no battles to fight. Battles are the reason for conquests. They are the secret behind dominion, and kingdom rule. Behind most battles are blessings, waiting to be carried as spoils of war. So, our year of victory is also our year of blessings that have been lying behind some life battles waiting for us to break through and carry.
Today we will be sharing about something many would not want to hear about at this time of the year. That thing is the subject of test, trials and temptations. But it is important to hear about that at this time of the year and prepare for them.
The truth remains, either you want to hear it or not, there will be seasons of tests, trials, and temptations this year. It will be foolish to ignore that. Maybe some are already in them.
Life is only beautiful when you face some tests, trials and temptations and come out victorious. Not when you avoid them!! On this side of eternity life cannot be perfect. There will be seasons of tests, trials and temptations for everyone. We only have to prepare for them.
If you are not in one right now, it means the roll call has not gotten to you yet. It is coming!!! Even the most righteous man or woman would face test, trials and temptations. There is no controversy about that. The only difference is how he or she would come out. The righteous will always come out better, but others will not always come out better.
It is important to be reminded at this time of the year of the necessity of coming into seasons when we will pass through some life tests, trials and temptations, so that we can all be prepared for them.
Let me reiterate again that the year of victory will be a year of reaping the victories of the battles we fought last year and previous years. But it will also be a year of tests, trials and temptations, but because of the prophecy, they will all leave us better and not bitter or beaten.
I HOPE YOU ARE NOT SCARED? ETHER YOU ARE SCARED OR NOT, LIFE TESTS WILL COME. TRIALS OF FAITH AND TEMPTATIONS WILL COME.
The reason for that is simple. Every testimony is rooted in a test or trial of faith, and every life progress rooted in temptations one faced and overcame. When we fail the test or trial, there will be no testimony. When we fall into the temptation, there will be no progressing to the next level.
But when we pass the tests or trial, there will be something edifying to tell to others; yes, there will be the goodness and mercies of God in our lives to talk about. If we overcome the temptation, there will be a shift of progress in our lives. That is the secret of life. You must prepare for it.
One of the major things we get from God through the testing and trial of our faith is the Heavenly wisdom to build our lives on, and sometimes build that of others as well.
I have come to realize that each test or trial of faith you go through successfully leaves you better and wiser.
Friend, some of the wisdom you will need to apply your heart unto this year and beyond, will never come to you in a Church service, a time of personal devotion, or prayer. It will come to you in a time of trial or test of faith, or temptation. The wisdom is usually Heavenly Wisdom; a wisdom dimension that will make you perfect in the area of the test or trial, or temptation, lacking nothing.
That is why the Bible teaches that we should count it all joy when we come into such seasons of life. Our devotional text made that clear. It says;
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 KJV
God want us to be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But that will not come by anointing with oil, using water or doing any of those anti-scriptural things. It will not come by being prayed for, or counselled.
IT WILL COME BY THE HEAVENLY WISDOM WE COLLECT WHEN WE ARE TESTED, TRIED, AND TEMPTED.
No one carefully walks in Heavenly wisdom without having a life that is perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. If our lives are full of imperfections, incomplete, or lack, its is a sign of no heavenly wisdom. It means we are not making our decisions base on Heavenly wisdom. The Bible says,
“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:3-4 NKJV
If you do not have the heavenly wisdom to be driving your decisions, one day you will drive yourself into lack, destruction, sorrows, and even premature death. We all need Heavenly wisdom to build our lives on and fill them with all precious and pleasant riches.
Not the riches of the corrupt, but that of the righteous.
Talking about Heavenly wisdom, I want you to understand that there are three kinds of wisdom; the wisdom from the earth (which is the wisdom of man), the wisdom from the dark world, (which is the wisdom of the evil one), and the wisdom from above, (which is the wisdom of God).
Each of this wisdom types produces different results in the lives of men. In 2025, you will need to build your life with the wisdom of God. You will need to let it drive your decisions, so that you will not have to drive your life; finances, marriage, ministry, or etc. into some dark pits or destructive life situations.
The wisdom that will build our lives as the scripture says, is the Heavenly wisdom. Not that of this age that is coming to nothing, but that of the age to come, and one major source of that wisdom, is a season of trials, tests and temptation.
If you maintain a good faith position during the season, not withdrawing from the fellowship of the brethren, or from spending time with the LORD, you will give the LORD the submission required to have Him fill you with wisdom.
The Bible made it clear that the first two levels of wisdom mentioned here are not pure or peaceful. But the last one mentioned – the wisdom of God – is pure and peaceful. It is full of mercy, and brings forth righteousness as its fruits. It is not human or demonic, but divine.
It is the very wisdom God used in creating the heavens and the earth. It is available to us and can be used in creating our lives on earth. That is the very wisdom you collect if you remain consistent with God in a season of trial, test or temptation.
May the LORD fill your heart with more precious insights on this matter, in Jesus precious name. Amen!!!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY;
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
“I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NKJV