This is a SEASON TO FORTIFY YOURSELF IN PRAYERS LIKE NEVER BEFORE JOIN US at Daughters Of Destiny  and tag a friend.....Pls SHARE!!!! 

One of the deadliest enemy to our Christian walk is pride. It creeps in and takes root. Arrogance is the visible display or manifestation of pride. Nobody will ever own up and say ....you know what I think I am proud!!!! It is one of those things that we find difficult to admit. We legitimize and validate it with other terms....Extreme confidence, Self-Awareness, Selling myself or worse still say they are jealous of me. What are the indicators of pride? *Making "I Statements".....rather say We did it. *Feeling bad or reluctant to acknowledge the good thing that someone else did. Complimenting others does not reduce you. *Being unthankful or ungrateful or having an entitlement mentality. When pride has crept in a person feels too big to say thank you. Be humble to thank people even your domestic staff when they serve you. It gives them a sense of self-worth and increases their productivity. * When you feel offended when you are not acknowledged or your "title" is not acknowledged. Rather focus on developing yourself as a goldfish has no hiding place. When you are loaded people will seek you rather than you trying to announce yourself or force people to recognize you. *When you feel you are superior to others due to an advantage you have...it could be your upbringing, education, financial status..etc. You are not superior grace just elevated you. So be overly humble and careful in how you treat people visibly beneath you. * When you feel you cannot relate with people below your social status.....even Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors. There can be Spiritual pride when you feel you know it ALL and refuse wise Godly counsel. Above all pray for A MEEK AND GENTLE SPIRIT FROM THE LORD. DO HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!!😀😀😀😀😀

Being quick to blame someone else negatively impacts our relationships and can make us err with God especially when we wrongly accuse others even in our innermost minds. Have you ever being in a situation where you are missing something, could be your jewelry, money and instead of taking time to look for it, your mind is fixated on some one that you think must have stolen it. The thought begins to grow deeper in your mind and someone could even accuse the person suspected but events can later reveal that you misplaced the item 🤨 🤨 🤨. Imagine how one feels after wrongly accusing an innocent person.   Adam blamed the woman and said to the Lord "the woman you gave to me". Gen 3v 12....the story has now changed from..."this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" Gen 2 v 23   May we receive the grace to own up to our shortcomings and seek ways of improvement, this is the only attitude that can ensure our PERSONAL GROWTH and effective walk with God.   DO HAVE A NICE SUNNY DAY OR SUNDAY!!!!! 😎 😎 😎 😍 😎 😎

GENESIS 3: 12....Then the man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” When things go wrong there is always the tendency to look for the cause and typically blame someone for what has gone wrong. God asked Adam a direct question. Did you eat the forbidden fruit but he answered by blaming his wife. Notice that at this time she was called WOMAN not EVE. She in turn blamed the devil. Most times when we are caught on the wrong side or when we failed at something the tendency is to push the blame on somebody else. This is a weak human reaction and we must not quickly succumb to blaming other people for our mistakes or failure. If you often blame others for everything wrong rather than owning up to your shortcomings this can lead to ineffectiveness. People who easily shift blames on others become weak in analytical thinking as they quickly assume it's another person's fault rather than thoroughly investigate the matter. Blaming others is a weak position as it shows lack of control. Rather accepting the fact that something has gone wrong and there is a need to look inwards to find out where one went wrong or could have made a better decision will ensure future success. Blaming others is a sign of pride and self-defense or being defensive. When God questioned Adam and said "where are you" he should have answered rather he became defensive and tried to justify his hiding away. On further questioning by God in Gen 3 v 12, Adam blamed the woman forgetting that he had a choice he could have refused his wife's suggestion. The woman too blamed the serpent. Being quick to blame someone else negatively impacts our relationships and can make us err with God especially when we wrongly accuse others even in our innermost minds. Have you ever being in a situation where you are missing something, could be your jewelry, money and instead of taking time to look for it, your mind is fixated on some one that you think must have stolen it. .....

2 Sam 6: 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows [h]shamelessly uncovers himself!” 

21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. When I did a short study on Michal I saw she had been good to David in the past even David fought for her to be brought back to him after her Father Saul gave her away to another man in 2 Sam 3:14. Before getting to this defining moment in their relationship they must have had some good times. Having a bad marriage can be likened to cancer it eats up every good thing around. Something must have gone wrong in their relationship that made Michal so bitter that she reserved a poisonous remark for someone coming to bless her and the household. In the same vein David too must have been so bitter to utter such insults to his wife and her family. I kind of imagine Michal FIRST LADY fully decked with the most on point make up yet FULL OF BITTERNESS ON THE INSIDE. How many times do we sit well dressed beside our spouses in church; at functions and the silence is deafening and the atmosphere thick with strife. Through the make-up and powder OUR EMOTIONS SEEP THROUGH we lash out. Men and women, we are both guilty. To avoid emotional outbursts like Michal and David we must DIFFUSE OUR TENSIONS. In a healthy relationship we must be open with one another to discuss our feelings at appropriate times and settle. Sometimes a party may not be forthcoming in discussing challenges and shuts the other partner up. This is not healthy. The more we can discuss our marital challenges and have periodic evaluations our marriages will make progress. We must not bottle up our hurts or feelings because EMOTIONS CAN SEEP THROUGH OUR FACADE!!! DO HAVE A NICE DAY!!    

      Psalm 90:12, “ So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom” Habakkuk 3:2, “O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy”   Just like a football coach would rearrange, restrategise and readjust his team, when it is half-time, we must also look at ourselves especially at this season when half of the year is almost gone.The middle of the year is typically a time to TAKE STOCK, readjust, realign or fire-up in whatever one is doing. In this month of AWESOME MANIFESTATIONS we must effectively deliver. Romans 8:19 is about getting results. Romans 8:19, "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God”  One great tool that can help us in our journey towards excellence and effectiveness is  " self-evaluation". In Daniel chapter 9 verses 1 and 2, Daniel looked through the books and realized that the period of captivity had lapsed and so began to pray. He did an evaluation of the state of Israel at the time of captivity, so he was better informed on what to pray about.

• SELF EVALUATION is looking inwards with a view to identifying areas of weakness so we can receive strength from the Lord

2 Corinthians 12:9, “ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me Whenever and wherever we find out we are falling short of God's standard, we must ask God for grace in those areas as well as make efforts of self improvement, learning, preparation and adjustments where necessary. Self-evaluation brings a great opportunity for growth within and without. It improves our quality of life and our relationships. The aim is not to condemn yourself but for you to become self-aware, improve and learn new things about yourself. It will help you to prevent your strength from being your weakness. Needless to say, personal growth is very important in our Christian walk. Self-assessment helps in clarifying one's identity, it is the process of examining one's self in order to evaluate aspects that are important to one’s identity. You and I need to look back on our ways, our actions, our words and ask? Have I been walking in my right identity as a child of God? My words and thoughts have they portrayed my right identity as a dominion Christian or have I portrayed a wrong identity of A FEARFUL PERSON?. Here are some vital questions you need to ask yourself:

• Who am I ?
• Why am I here?
• Where am I from ?
• What can I do?
• Where am I going to?

Also let us check other areas of our lives and the standard of comparison should be the WORD OF GOD.

• How am I doing as a Mother or Father?
• How am I doing as a Husband or Wife?

Ephesians 5:22-29, “ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church”

• How am I doing in my love walk?

   Ephesians 5:2, And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

• How am I doing in my service to God?
• How am I doing in my prayer life?
• How am I doing in studying the Word?
• How am I doing with finances ?

For effective Self evaluation you must be honest with yourself; avoid making excuses for the weaknesses or failures you discover and you must be ready to make a change for the better. May you have a better you emerging from day to day in Jesus name. Shalom Busola Jegede    

Dearly Beloved We give all glory to grace in the year ending and in times past. 2017 has been a year of great shakings for the world, nations, societies, and the church and even in our individual lives. I recall that a few years ago these shakings were predicted but we never imagined the magnitude will be so much and it is still ongoing. We have seen major upsets in politics, nations, business and new powers emerging. In our lives we have seen the grace and mercy of God despite any expectations we may still have. What should be our strategy or outlook in the coming year? Clearly we are at the tipping point of a great move of God. Needless to say these are end times so: God expects you to live ready. He expects you to live prepared. You aren’t meant to keep living your life just getting prepared. Martin Luther King Jr. was often quoted as saying, “it is better to live prepared than to get prepared, because most times when we are about getting prepared, it is too late” Living prepared is recognizing and making use of your seed or stepping-stone opportunities very well. You see, it’s only by living prepared that you can recognize and take advantage of the harvest-opportunities. a) LIVE PREPARED FOR RAPTURE I Thessalonians 5:2-4, “2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief”. These indeed are the end times, recently Jerusalem was recognized by the United States as the capital of Israel and the Embassy is to be moved there. If you follow the predictions concerning the rapture, once the temple is rebuilt the rapture can happen at any time. To live prepared for rapture: --Live Holy; daily check your life --Forgive and practice advanced and continuous forgiveness Lay up treasures for yourself in Heaven. Mathew 6:19-20, 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal”. give to the poor, the needy. Win souls aggressively: Proverb 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” Join Evangelism groups and engaging in personal evangelism. b) LIVE PREPARED TO SERVE Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” Be ready to be sent by God and be willing to obey. God will send you out of your comfort zone. This is not the time for procrastination may you not miss your divine assignment in Jesus name. Be ready to serve God with your time, talents, money and life. Nothing should be too big to give up for a BIG GOD that you serve. It should be here I am send me Lord. c) LIVE PREPARED TO LEAD Where you see a gap in your situation, provide leadership. Do not fold your hands and expect someone else to do it. Provide the right leadership in a confused, negative or uncertain situation. Notice that leadership here does not mean LIMELIGHT OR FAME. Where you see injustice you provide leadership to the right direction. Caleb and Joshua provided leadership to disgruntled and confused Israelites who saw the Canaanites as giants and themselves as grasshoppers in Numbers 14:6, “But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes” d) LIVE PREPARED TO HARVEST 2 Cor 9:8, “ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” You must be prepared to reap the benefits of your past labors in every area of your life. If you have been faithful and diligent there comes a time when rewards begin to come. Do not be weary or faint. Step out and harness. There are various stages in life and there is a stage of reward. There is a time you enter into your full-blown harvest. Be prepared spiritually, materially, physically and financially. Harvest in your business, marriage, work, and career e) LIVE PREPARED TO ADVANCE OR STEP OUT TO A HIGHER LEVEL Jer 29: 11, “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” Some of you perceive it already that promotion has come. The spirit of God is ministering great things to your heart concerning your life, business, work, career and ministry. Do not leave these things at the THOUGHT REALM, produce them, birth them, seek knowledge, and counsel to activate them. Promotion may not just drop on your needs but will come as you advance based on the leading of the Holy Spirit. So in essence I am saying  START THAT VISION you and your family with favor like a shield.  STEP INTO HARVEST Hosea 6:11, “Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, when I return the captives of My people”  STEP INTO REWARD Ruth 2:12, “The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge”  STEP INTO NEW THINGS Isaiah 43:18-19, “ Do not remember the former things,nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert” Shalom

DIG THE DITCHES 2 Kings 3:9-26, ^{9 "}So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. ¹⁰ And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” ¹¹ But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” ¹² And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. ¹³ Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” ¹⁴ And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. ¹⁵ But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. ¹⁶ And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ ¹⁷ For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ ¹⁸ And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. ¹⁹ Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” ²⁰ Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water. ²¹ And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered; and they stood at the border. ²² Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. ²³ And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!” ²⁴ So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites. ²⁵ Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of Kir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it. ²⁶ And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.   There was a situation of revolt against Jehoram the King of Israel and the King of Israel invited Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah. He also invited the King of Edom. After seven days, the army of these three Kings ran into problems, there was no water. The King of Judah asked for a Prophet and Elisha was mentioned. The reputation of Elisha was that of service to his master. People are watching us, how we behave and this will lead to what they say about us. Verse 12, “And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.” Further testimony to the life of Elisha was that he was in tune with the Spirit of God. The word of God was with him. Elisha was reluctant because the King was a Baal worshipper like his father Ahab, yet he still brought the mercy of God on the situation. Elisha said “This is what the Lord says, ‘MAKE THIS VALLEY FULL OF DITCHES’……..you will not see wind nor rain yet this valley will be filled with water and your cattle and your other animals will drink”. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord. To begin to dig ditches when there was no sign of rain nor cloud nor wind was to step out in faith. For them to dig ditches in the valley, they needed a team work of courageous and faith-driven people. They started digging in anticipation, in hope, in faith. For you to see the miraculous happen in your life you must move from hearing the Lord, to speaking the Word and graduate to DOING OR ACTING ON THE WORD in faith. It is at the point of unlikely instruction that the miraculous is triggered; Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan. Peter was told to let down the net after toiling all night. Your OBEDIENCE is key to your breakthrough. Your instruction holds the key to unlocking the padlock of your miracle.   HOW DO YOU DIG DITCHES

• Locate your WORD
• Act on the WORD
• Stay on it by faith
• Confess positively when you are digging ditches
• Discouragement may come, keep digging
• Mocking may come, keep digging

  You need strength of mind to dig. You need strength of purpose to dig. You need the right tool to dig.   Shalom, BUSOLA JEGEDE

  YOU ARE MORE THAN THIS Esther 4:1-8 , “When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. ² He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. ³ And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. ⁴ So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.⁵ Then Esther called Hatach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was.⁶ So Hatach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.”   Here we see Queen Esther having a little unrest due to an embarrassing situation or a scene being caused by her Uncle at the Palace gate. Mordecai had been crying round the city bitterly and eventually got to the gate of the Palace. She sent clothes to her uncle but he refused. Hear me beloved, until you step up to the level God expects of you, nothing will be good enough. Esther thought clothes could pacify Mordecai. This was a deeper issue beyond clothing. Someone here, you have a deeper calling than what you are presently doing. God has a higher expectation than what you are producing because God has invested so much in you. Then Esther sent Hatach to find out what was wrong with uncle Mordecai. The message from Mordecai captured in Esther 4:8 says “He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.” It was a huge task for Esther. Go before the King? When you are not called? She sent a reply back to her uncle that the request was a mission impossible. I must warn you that for you to step up, it will not look easy but you must be courageous, grace is upon you and God will back you up. But Mordecai made her to realize that; Esther, “You are more than this” “You are more than just a pretty face”. “Esther you are more than just a regal Queen”. --Esther you are more than just a good wife. --Esther you are more than just a good cook. Mordecai was screaming spiritually; “Esther you are MORE THAN THIS, you are more than your exterior, you are an influencer”.   What if the destinies of a whole people, a group & nations rested on your shoulders? Your decisions, actions/inactions will affect generations. Your yes will set thousands free; your rising will lift millions; your stepping out will feed hundreds.   Esther you are more than a pretty face - you are a deliverer of your people with the influence you carry. Your decision affects destinies of many. ESTHER YOU ARE MORE THAN THIS. I am prophesying to someone right here, right now that you are more than what we can see in you right now. --You are more than a good face, a good voice, a teacher. --Locked up inside you is greatness, push it out. In verse 13, Mordecai did not mince words to let Esther know that for everyone assigned for a purpose, God always has a PLAN B, a backup person. May we not miss our destiny in Jesus name. In verse 15 Esther had to face her fears - “Go gather all the Jews to fast for me”. So if you are confused, push in prayers. Something in you must come out. Who am I speaking to right now?, Go gather what you need to gather because you must step up and step out. --Go gather your thoughts --Go gather more knowledge --Go gather more strength --Go gather more of the word of faith. Because you are more than this. Whatever you need to push out that which is buried within you, go gather. For greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world. The greater one in you must cause your life to be better than what it is now. Remember it is GRACE that makes a man, Apostle Paul said, “I AM WHAT I AM by the grace of God”. Grace is upon you to step out and step up. YOU ARE MORE THAN THIS. No matter what you seem to have achieved God is able to give you much more. In Esther 5 strategy was released. Esther put on her royal apparel. She stood where she feared to stand. Get over your limiting beliefs, God is able to give you much more than this. Shalom, BUSOLA JEGEDE