You need to be overflowing

Scripture says that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34) Jesus said again "a good man out of the GOOD TREASURE of his heart bringeth forth that which is good" (Luke 6:45). This means that whatever we see manifest in the physical is a product not of scarcity, but of the abundance of what you carry on the inside.

As a visionary, your cup has to be running over. This means that you must desire an abundance of revelation, insight and knowledge of the Word and the areas of life God wants you to find expression. It takes a man or woman loaded with content to truly be able to impact the lives of those God has called them to.

You need to be fed till you are filled till overflowing, then and only then can you dish out freely to everyone.

With God, there is always abundance. Scripture says "they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). Another scripture says "At thy right hand, there are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).... That's the God we serve.

Are you filled or empty? Let God fill you today.

Prayer:

Lord, fill me up till I'm overflowing with your presence, your word and the necessary knowledge and insight I need to accomplish your vision for my life in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Vision is just like Faith

This morning, I began to meditate briefly on the concept of vision. I realized after muttering for a while that Vision is just like faith. Scripture tells us, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I soon saw that that is what vision is exactly. In other words, we can say- Vision is the SUBSTANCE of THINGS hoped for, the EVIDENCE of THINGS not seen.

What God has shown you about your future is your SUBSTANCE, it is your EVIDENCE for a great life to come. This is why the devil wants to ruin the lives of many youths, it is not because of the present, he is afraid of what each one is carrying for the future. This is why the devil specializes in keeping a lot of people in the dark as regards their purpose. A blind man on the road to destiny will never get anywhere.

Friends, if you've found your SUBSTANCE, your EVIDENCE, protect it by all means. Why do you think the devil was so keen on killing baby Jesus? he wasn't scared about him as a baby, he was scared about the SUBSTANCE (The Salvation of mankind) He was carrying for the days to come.

If you haven't found your vision, ask God tonight. Scripture says "Call unto me and I will answer and shew thee great and mighty things thou knowest not" - Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer:

Lord, show me my own substance and let me not trade it for anything in the world. Help me Lord in Jesus name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

The Mantle of Responsibility

Mantles are symbols of the anointing. We see how the mantle was used in dividing the river Jordan for Elisha after Elijah had been raptured into heaven.

There is a different kind of mantle I want to talk about here. It's what I call The Mantle of Responsibility. We must get to the point where we take our assignments on earth seriously and choose to make it a MUST. Jesus said while here "I MUST do the works of Him that sent me..." He said somewhere else "I MUST preach the gospel in other cities also..." These words connote responsibility.

There's really nothing God can do for you and I until you and I choose to be responsible. In the beginning, when God created the heaven and the earth, scripture records that there was no rain on the earth. Why? Because there was no man to till the ground. In other words, there was no man to take responsibility for the cultivation of the plants. God didn't send rain until the time of Noah (that was the first ever record of rain).

Friends, until God sees that you are willing to take responsibility for the dream He has laid in your heart, then He will not be committed to showing Himself in your life.

Your vision will speak only if you are willing to walk by faith.

Prayer:

Lord, I desire to see results in my life, therefore, I choose to take responsibility for the vision/the dreams that you have placed in my heart in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Vision Transforms People

I remember Pastor Sam Adeyemi sharing his story from his early days. He had come to Lagos from Ilorin with nothing more than the bag he was carrying and the clothes on his body. Today, 20 years later, he is known globally as a preacher. Through his ministry, God has brought several people out of poverty, sin, and several other life transforming testimonies have been birthed from his life.

When people see him today, it appears as though he has always been this way. The truth remains that all that we see today were not there some 20 years ago.

What really changed? What happened?

When God gives a man a vision, the vision is locked up within him/her. As the individual begins to take action and to implement the things God is revealing, changes begin to take place in the environment (the people around begin to feel the impact of the vision). Vision is always about people. Scripture says "Where there is no vision, the people perish." This means that people are the ones to be affected by the vision. When it is fulfilled, people will be blessed, when it remain unfulfilled people end up perishing.

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly." John wrote saying about Jesus "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil." In Hebrews, it says that "....through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Jesus fulfilled all this plus more. His life radically transformed the human race once and for all.


The question tonight is "what changes will your vision bring to the world?"

Prayer:

Lord, give me an understanding of my vision. Help me to see that it is meant to transform the lives of people. Lord, keep my vision aflame enough to transform people in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Vision Never Dies; Fellowship Does...

Last weekend, I also got the chance to meet Victor Ogungbe; a young man who God to start up a ministry in Eruwa (You can read about him in The 3V's of Vision). He mentioned that while starting ministry, he was happy there were a couple of people who were also on the same journey of full-time ministry with him. As at when we were speaking, he later realized that they were actually not in full time and specifically mentioned that there was a particular one who actually just went and took up a pastoring job leaving the original assignment.

Many start up on the journey of vision. They take actions and get results at the start but later on, everything appears to die down and nothing moves. What causes this? Has the vision died? Did the person not hear correctly? Was it born out of self-desire? This vision may truly have been born of God but beyond the birthing of a vision, there is the sustenance of the vision.

The same process that birthed the vision, is also the same process that sustains the vision. If Habakkuk had to stand upon his watch to receive the vision, then he must have to keep on standing upon his watch to birth the vision. The same goes for you and me.

Friends, the inspiration I got tonight is simply to share with us that "Vision never dies, only fellowship does." This means that when you choose to stay away from fellowshipping with God, your vision loses the nourishment that is meant to sustain it and the result will be that you will lose the zeal, passion, and commitment needed to birth the vision. Fellowship with God sustains a vision and can awaken it when you do not sense it anymore.

With  #Project25000, God recently stirred my heart in a different direction, yet we are to have the same end result....

Have you lost your vision?

You can revive your vision through fellowship (Both with God and fellow believers)

Prayer:

Lord, restore your presence in my life. Activate my vision again. Help my eyes to see again. I refuse to be blind.... Revive my visionary heart, passion, and commitment in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

God wants to give you the future. Are you ready?

Imagine yourself as a new undergraduate in the University and then on your Matriculation day the VC walks up to you and gives you a First Class Certificate duly signed by him and tells you "Start Living the life of a First Class Student, apply for any job you want and be successful." What will be your reaction? Surprise right?

What has happened here?

The VC simply gave the new student, a future and not just any shabby one, but a very bright one.

Do you know that that is exactly what God want for you and I?

He says in His Word "I know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of good and not of evil, to GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE." God want to give you the future. A lot of people are scared about what tomorrow may bring, they have no hope, they have no confidence in what tomorrow holds for them. But your case can be different if you have access to the future. When others are worried about what the future holds for them, you will be joyful about what you hold for the future. You will be the creator of the reality that other men behold in the days to come.

God gave Joseph the Future before others got there and he was able to solve the global problems of his time. God gave Daniel the Future by revealing things that no magician or astrologer could interpret. He mesmerized the people of his day. In the new testament times, Paul said he went to the third heaven and saw things that was not lawful for any man to utter. He saw unutterable things. That's the future. God gave it to these people.

Friends, do you know God doesn't want you to be worried about tomorrow? He wants you to be confident and step out everyday full of hope and not letting life happen to us but us making things happen wherever we find ourselves. This is why He wants you to have a VISION.

The scripture of focus tonight is: "Call unto me and I will answer and I will shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not" - Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer:

Lord, I know your thoughts for me are good and not evil. I pray that you will give me the future just as you have promised.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

We have two destinies (Part 3)

I've got a new alteration in this discussion.

What really happens when one becomes a believer is that God begins to alter the course and direction of one's life and like was discussed yesterday, the believer then moves from ambition to vision. Rather than being driven by the need to be a success, the person now understands that Christ has made him a success and what he has to do now is to help others realize this.

A life of ambition is always laden with struggles and a measure of dissatisfaction. One who chases after things never truly get them, this is because there is no end to things and we have only so little time to spend here on earth. This was what Solomon discovered and he wrote several times in Ecclesiastes saying "Vanity of vanities." He had looked deeply into life and realized the futility in the pursuit of things.

In order to function properly in our divine destiny, we must embrace what Paul said. He said, "All things are yours." When we function from this, we have a rest and we can then walk daily in the fulfillment of our purpose and not just trying to hit targets alone.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to rest in my Divine Destiny in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

AMBITION VS VISION.

Then said I , Lo , I come (in the volume of the books it is written of me) to do thy will, o God. Heb. 10:7

For everyone of us, there is an established path set out for us to follow, it's our destiny, our purpose.

One of the reasons God made us in His image is for us to able to conceive things through heart, knowing His mind concerning us and our role in the world. God expects us to grow and achieve success intentionally knowing what specifics we are to achieve. As we grow, we should begin to decipher this plan through vision
only the Holy spirit can communicate God's mind per time to us.

But most us have decided to settle for less by just being ambitious. It is alright to be ambitious, it takes a great mind to want to achieve better things and basically grow. The building of the towel of Babel was borne out of man's desire and ambition to reach God, physically. Man wanted to jump the place of the Holy spirit in reaching or in communing with God, man thought that a physical structure would solve the issue of distance between him and his maker. But of course that thought could not become a reality because it did not please God.

Many of us toll the same lines too, sometimes, we simply go out of God's precepts to do certain things or to achieve great things. But i'm sure we desire God's will and want to please God in and with everything we find ourselves doing.

Here is how to know if you are simply ambitious or you have a vision:

1. Vision first is from God: most of the time, a vision comes as an interruption from God, God simply interrupts your mind and creates a picture of His desire and because He trusts you, He communicates His desire and engrace you to function.

2. Vision is first to please God: its given to glorify God and populate His kingdom.

3. Vision is given to serve God's people: so God blesses our heart with service actually, He blesses us with things to do out of His love for His people, He gives things to do that adds value to His people and ultimately makes you the carrier, His servant.

4. Vision is usually clear: because it's God born, its usually comes with clear instructions, especially as you continue on it.

A visionary serves and seeks to serve God's people.

All that is highlighted above, points to ambition All the above is what ambition is not, ambition most of the time is selfish and self-seeking. However, some of us mistake our ambitions, for vision. In fact, we try to spiritualize our selfish desires. So if you are sure that growth you desire is not selfish, let me ask you, WHY? WHY DO YOU
DESIRE THAT GROWTH OR PROMOTION SO MUCH? WHY DO YOU WANT TO PUBLISH THAT BOOK? WHY DO WANT TO MARRY THAT LADY/YOUNG MAN?

Are you sure the answers to the above is not ego borne or to have a secret smile that returns the glory to you?
ACTION PLAN:
Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing or the thing you are about to do. Sincerely answer or if you know you have trusted friends you can ask, please do.

PRAYER
Father please rid my heart of every selfish ambition and help me to conceive your will for my life with clarity in Jesus name.

THINK ON THIS:

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but  the spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:11

Gift Chika
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

We have two destinies (Part 1)

A couple of years back, I was troubled with the question of success. I couldn't understand how certain folks who were not in the Faith could be so prosperous with many of them even fulfilling scripture where giving is concerned. There are world billionaires that "lend unto nations", several of them today could buy up several countries with the wealth they have been able to build, and most amazing is that these men are extremely generous.

Now, how does this concern you and I

Remember before we were "formed in the womb"God had a plan of us, this is irrespective of the family or faith which the family practices. Some people go on to succeed so much that they impact so many lives globally, yet there are those who embrace the gospel of Christ and only make a little impact or none at all, they struggle through life and I can't help but ask myself "Whatever happened to the riches of His glory in Christ," "Whatever happened to the promise that we will have dominion, be fruitful and all that."

God finally stopped me in my thoughts recently, he said "Everyone has two destinies. Everyone is given an earthly destiny and a divine destiny." He further said "those who achieve success without me have only tapped into their earthly destiny, they are yet to tap into their divine destiny."

Friends, you have two destinies. God's plan is that the two be woven into one.

In the coming days, we will be exploring how this relates to you and I and practical examples in the scriptures. This is still the month of vision and this topic will surely bless our lives tremendously.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to understand my destiny in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Do you know your real worth?

A friend came over to the house one evening, he had been teaching in a school where they were paying him so little. This was someone that I usually teased that he had "ten talents" and that was true in every way. He could do so many things almost flawlessly. But, his bank account and pocket were not commensurate with the measure of value he gave out. What's more about him is that he had a big and powerful vision of where he sees himself in a couple of years. At one time, on while he spoke, I was electrified listening to him discuss his dreams and vision. I knew God was taking him somewhere.

Despite all these, he was complaining... who wouldn't. I guess I'd do the same too. As he kept on talking with me, I was lost for words, I didn't know how to help him. In that moment, an inspired thought landed in my consciousness, "The real worth of a man is not the size of his salary, it is the size of his vision." I didn't hesitate, I knew it was for him. Immediately, I paused him in his complaint and said to the exact same words to him. He became quiet, I expanded on this thought more and that ended the conversation.

Friends, can I say to you tonight. Your real worth is not the amount they pay you in that school, organization or wherever you're working. Your real worth is not what people say about you, or what your results and grades in your school reflect. Your real worth is the size of YOU that God sees and is willing to reveal.

If we were to really calculate your worth, think on this. Jesus (God, the Son) gave his life for you completely, his innocent blood redeemed you, every second angel are on guard over you, every moment God is thinking about you, and you are even seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Let's not even begin to talk about the royal chair you're sitting on)

Your real worth today is the size of your vision. Now, can you take a moment and envision yourself, you should be able to say out loud "I'm ........" If there's one scripture you should take home tonight, it is this "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the high." - Psalm 82:6

I'd like to end with this: whenever someone gives his life to Christ, his/her net-worth automatically increases.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to know my real worth in Jesus Name.


Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealing Youth Devotional

What you eat determines what you see

In the beautiful garden of Eden were two amazing creatures united into one by marriage -Adam and Eve. Apparently, things had been going on smoothly until one day. Adam ate of the forbidden tree and history was altered forever.

Thankfully, nothing ever takes God by surprise.

After Adam and his wife ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, scripture says "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons." Their eyes were opened not to see a future of bliss and dominion as was originally theirs by creation, they began to see a future of gloom and doom, so much so that they began to run away from the presence of God.

Friends, if you desire to find and fulfill God's vision for your life, you cannot afford to "eat anyhow" or "feed on the wrong sources." To "feed" here means what materials you read and consume that fills your mind and your spirit. See, for anything to be truly transformational in your life, it has to come by the Spirit into your own spirit. True change and direction originate in your spirit man.

This is not the time to embrace the philosophies of the world to simply "have a dream" or seek the "ideal." There are ways and there is a WAY.

Feed on Rhema (The revealed Word of God to you), then your eyes will be open to seeing your real ability in God, you will see that you are seated in heavenly places. You will see that your vision is possible and nothing can hinder it in any way.

What do you see?

Prayer:

Lord, remove from my system everything that contaminates or clouds your vision for my life, and as I begin to feed on the revelation of your Word, help me to see clearly in Jesus name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional 

Do you know you're a savior?

Recently I got praying with a brother, and while in God's presence, an understanding came to me as regards how the birth of Jesus was in a very unique way similar to when we also became born again.

When Jesus was born, there was a record in the book of Luke that says "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,"
-Luke 2:13

The heavenly host began to rejoice that finally the long awaited salvation for mankind had been born on earth.

How does this relate to you and I?

Many ways. The scripture records that whenever a sinner gets saved heaven rejoices. Here it reads; "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

There was joy when Jesus was born, the first record of an heavenly host rejoicing. The next time, Jesus helps us see that the heavens also rejoice the same way when a sinner repent and is saved.

The angels rejoiced on the birth of the Saviour and they also rejoiced when we were born into the Kingdom. This means that you and I are also "saviours" in our own little way, and in the measure to which God has called us. That's why Paul could say "Christ in you the hope of Glory", that's why Jesus later said "As the Father hath sent me, so send I you", the Prophet Obadiah had already confirmed this when he wrote "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S."

Friends, you are a savior; not to save the world from sin (Jesus has finished that already), you and I are to be agents in extending all that God made available to us via salvation.

As a visionary, you need to understand that God has ordained you to be a savior to those who He has called you to. It may be to save people from depression, life destroying habits, academic failure, laziness, lack of zeal for God etc. You are a savior. As long as you've received the Savior (Jesus) you are to be like Him.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to see myself as a saviour to those you have sent me to. Help me to extend all that you have made available through Jesus to others in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Your Vision as a Saving Mechanism

Everyone was created by God for a specific purpose (I'm sure you've read that several times and it probably holds no appeal to you anymore. It is actually the truth. What you are here for has been concluded long before God said "Let there be light." He had finished everything about you long before you were formed in your mother's womb.

Let's see God's example

You see, right from the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden, the vision of God for man's salvation was in Jesus Christ. The scripture says earlier in the book of Genesis "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." The seed mentioned here was referring to Jesus Christ. God already set plan in motion to redeem mankind through this Seed. Later when the angel appeared to Mary he said about Jesus, " And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins"

What does this mean?

The vision of God for mankind was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, not just in His person but also in His assignment. It reads "for he shall save his people from their sins." The vision of God was a saving one and it was specific, sin. Moses was sent to save the Children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Joseph was sent ahead of time to save the world from extinction through hunger. Jonah was sent ahead of time to save the people of Nineveh from imminent destruction.

Friends, do you also know that God's vision for your life is a saving mechanism? God is still in the business of saving people. First their souls and next every other thing that may not be right in their lives.

Have you found yours?

Prayer:

Lord, help me to understand that my vision is meant to save people from their sins and other specific areas you want me to address. Reveal to me in clearer terms every area you want to use me in affecting the lives of others positively in Jesus Name.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealings Youth Devotional

Theme For January 2017

OnVision

I love the concept. I love this provision God made for mankind, it is one of the biggest miracles aside the salvation of our souls; that God will be able to communicate with clarity the plans that He has for each and everyone of us.

It begs to be repeated that "The greatest gift God gave to man is not the gift of sight but the gift of vision"

At one time, I was speaking with a Muslim lady who was a colleague where I used to work, I began to speak about salvation and how it affected everyone. I went on to share certain testimonies in my life. I also spoke about how God's vision had guided my life over the years. She then mentioned that in her faith, no one had access to see the future (vision), they simply worked by fate and whatever came their way was "God's will."

Is that really how God wants it?

No. Scripture says, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:" That's God's will for us. From the beginning of times, God has always wanted to carry man along with his agenda. That is accomplished through vision given by the Spirit.

In the remaining days of this month, we will be exploring #OnVision where God will be helping us again to learn the following things such as:

1. Vision as a saving mechanism.

2. The Visionary as a savior.

3. The Principles of Vision

4. Positioning ourselves for vision

5. Over 10 lessons on how the process of the birth of Jesus relates to vision.

6. + many more

Kindly share this with friends and family. They are sure going to be blessed.

Please pray along with us.

There's more to come.

Oluwatobi Adesanya
For Daily Dealing Youth Devotional