15/05/25

Gospel Corner

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
“For the Kingdom of God belongs to men who have hearts as trusting as these little children’s. And anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get within the Kingdom’s gates.”
Luke 18:17, TLB

As a Child
if you ask children if they’d like to go buy a toy at the store, they don’t start debating whether they’re worthy enough. They don’t question whether you mean it or if you have the money to pay for it. No, children just receive the gift happily. They haven’t been contaminated with lies about how they aren’t good enough or have done too many wrong things. But as adults, when we hear about God’s gifts, we start reasoning things out. “I didn’t perform up to par. God’s not going to bless me. I struggle all the time. I don’t feel valuable.”

Why don’t you start receiving God’s gifts? God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He calls you a masterpiece. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb and approved you. He didn’t approve you based on your performance. He approved you based on the fact that you’re His child, created in His image, crowned with His favor. Now you have to receive that approval. Receive that validation. You’re not ordinary, but a child of the Most High God.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You approved me before I was formed in my mother’s womb, long before I made my first mistake. Thank You that You approve and love me despite my weaknesses and shortcomings. I declare that I am receiving Your gifts as Your child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Let me share with you how Megan, a precious lady from Minnesota, confronted her fears by speaking the Word of God for the area of her need and saw the power of God released in her situation. I’ll let her tell you her story:

I was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer. After a series of treatments, I recovered and tests showed that there was no more cancer. However, two years later, the doctors found a mass in my throat again.

At that time, I’d begun watching Joseph Prince on television. He shared a testimony of a woman who had taken hold of 1 John 4:17—”as He is, so are we in this world”—for herself and ended up not needing to have any surgery.

So I took hold of this Scripture for myself as well. My first thought after hearing the doctor’s diagnosis was, “As Jesus is, so am I in this world. Since He does not have cancer, then neither do I.”

Fear tried to enter my thoughts over the next several days, but I believed and kept declaring 1 John 4:17 as I was being told that I might have cancer again. I was advised to have a biopsy done and was also told that a bilateral tonsillectomy, a procedure to remove the tonsils, would be needed.

As I was being prepped for surgery, I was asked if there was anything I wanted to say. I said, “Yes. When the doctor comes in to do the surgery, she will say that the surgery is not needed and there is no cancer.”

And that was exactly what happened! The tonsillectomy was canceled because the biopsy showed that I did not have cancer! When told the good news, I smiled and said, “Thank You, Jesus!”

I have your book, 100 Days of Favor, which has a page that teaches on 1 John 4:17. I keep a bookmark on that page and read it often.

I am continually being set free by the gospel of grace. Thank you, Pastor Prince!

Praise the Lord—what an awesome testimony of the power of the written Word released through our mouths! Beloved, what the Lord did for Megan, He can and will do for you too!

Gospel Corner

14/05/25

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Psalm 91:7, NIV

It Will Not Come Near
When God breathed His life into you, He set you apart. He marked you for favor, marked you for blessing, marked you to stand out. What will defeat others won’t be able to defeat you. That’s why you don’t have to live worried about your future, worried about your safety, worried about your children, thinking, “There’s so much that can go wrong these days, so much violence in the world.” It may be happening all around you, but you have an advantage. God has a hedge of protection around you and your family. For the enemy to get to you, He has to get permission from God. That’s not saying negative things will never happen, but it is saying you are protected by the One who controls it all. God has the final say. If He allows it, He’s going to turn it around and use it for your good.

Dare to pray bold prayers. Believe for unusual favor. Take the limits off God. You’ve been set apart. You can expect things to happen for you that may not happen for someone else.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are the Almighty God who has put a hedge of protection around my life that the enemy cannot cross. Thank You that I am Yours, and You have marked my life with Your favor. I declare that I will not live worried but will walk in peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

SECTION TWO

Did you know that God sees grace (unmerited favor) and truth as one and the same thing? Notice in John 1:17 that truth is on the same side as God’s unmerited favor and both grace (unmerited favor) and truth came through Jesus Christ.

When I did a study of this verse in its original Greek, I found out that “grace and truth” are actually referred to as a singular unit, since they are followed by the singular verb translated as “came.” In other words, in God’s eyes, grace and truth are synonymous—unmerited favor is truth and truth is unmerited favor.

Sometimes, people tell me things like, “Well, it’s good that you preach grace, but we also have to tell people about truth.” This makes it seem as though grace and truth are two different things when, in fact, they are one and the same. You cannot separate truth from grace and grace from truth as they are both embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

In fact, just a few verses before this, John 1:14, referring to the person of Jesus, says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace [unmerited favor] and truth.”

Grace and truth came together through the person and ministry of Jesus. Grace is not a doctrine or teaching. Grace is a Person.

This is contrasted with the old covenant of law that was given through Moses on Mount Sinai. We can see that God is very precise in dealing with the two covenants and does not mix them together.

Grace is grace and law is law. Grace came by Jesus whereas the law was given through Moses.

Jesus didn’t come to give us more laws. He came to give us His unmerited favor, which is His truth! It would be of immense profit to you to keep in mind that every time you read the word “grace” in the Bible, you translate it mentally as “unmerited favor,” because that is what it is.

My friend, “grace came.” It is one thing to give, but it is another thing to come. You see, I could send a DVD of my sermon to you instead of coming to you. But if I come to you, it’s personal.

The law was given by Moses, but grace came by Jesus Christ. Every system of morality is about man trying to reach God with his discipline and good works, but in Christianity, God came down to where we were to lift us up to where He is!

13/ 05/25

Gospel Corner

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
“As for Ishmael…I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants….I will make him a great nation.”
Genesis 17:20, NLT

He Brings Out Greatness
In Genesis 21, Hagar and her son, Ishmael, had been kicked out of the household of Abraham and Sarah and were on their own in the desert. As a slave, Hagar had obeyed Sarah’s orders and had her son with Abraham. But Ishmael was not the promised child, and his presence brought all kinds of dysfunction into the household. Hagar didn’t do anything wrong, and Ishmael didn’t choose his parents, but their whole world fell apart. Just when Hagar didn’t know how they were going to survive, God said, “Hagar, I’m going to take care of you, and I’m going to make Ishmael a great nation.” God is so merciful. Out of a great mess, He brought greatness.

You may be in a difficult situation today that was caused by somebody else. It’s not fair, and it’s put you at a disadvantage. God is saying, “I’m not going to let other people’s poor choices ruin your life.” God has you covered with mercy. He’s going to bring greatness out of that mess. You will still fulfill your destiny and become everything God created you to be.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for being the amazing God who can take messes and mistakes and bring greatness out of them. Thank You that You don’t let other people’s wrongs ruin my life. I believe that You are working all things together for my good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Have you ever felt like you needed more faith? Have you ever looked at yourself and told yourself that if you just had more faith, you would see your financial breakthrough or healing?

My friend, I have good news for you today: faith is not a struggle. The Scriptures show us that the hearing of faith and the works of the law are total opposites (Gal. 3:2, 5). And since the works of the law are about our self-efforts, there is no self-effort in faith.

For years, my own ministry was a ministry that disqualified people. I would tell my congregation, “There’s nothing wrong with God, nothing wrong with His Word, so there must be something wrong with you!”

But one day, I heard the Lord speaking to me on the inside. He said, “Stop disqualifying My people! My blood has already qualified them. Stop disqualifying them!”

Now, I know that faith is the opposite of the law, and that the more people become self-conscious, and the more they look at their self-efforts to receive from the Lord, the more faith is depleted from them. So when the Lord opened my eyes to grace, I changed what I was preaching entirely and began to declare, “There’s nothing wrong with God, nothing wrong with His Word, and guess what? Through the blood of Jesus, there’s nothing wrong with you! Receive your miracle!”

Hallelujah! Once I stopped pointing the people to what was wrong with them and pointed instead to what was right with them because of Jesus, faith was imparted, and we began to experience an explosion of healing miracles like never before. Cancers were healed, tumors were supernaturally removed, and lives were transformed.

That is what happens when believers know that they have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus. They begin to understand that they have the blood-bought right to be healed, to experience financial breakthroughs, and to enjoy restoration in their marriages!

When people begin to see more of Jesus, when they begin to become more and more conscious of Jesus having been crucified on their behalf, faith no longer is a barrier to receiving God’s promises. Why? Because the more they see what Jesus has done for them, the more they see what Jesus has qualified them for, the more faith springs up within them and miracles break forth. Hallelujah!

Beloved, you don’t have to wish that you had more faith for whatever miracle you are asking God for right now. You don’t have to try to conjure up more faith.

Simply see Jesus on the cross for you, and the faith you need to face any situation or challenge will come into your life. Just look to Jesus and His grace toward you! He is the author and finisher of faith (Heb. 12:2). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

The more of Jesus and His love you hear, the more faith rises in your heart. Get hold of teachings that preach all about Jesus and His finished work. Make it your priority to listen to the good news preached.

There is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Reach out and receive your miracle from your loving Savior today!

12/05/25

Gospel Corner

Look no further than 3 John 1:2 for a prayer that reflects God’s heart. That’s how you know that He wants you healed, healthy, and never sick, as much as He wants your soul to prosper!

Don’t go by human experiences to know if God wants His people healed today. If you say, “Well, I know of Christians who are sick,” I can point you to many others whom God has healed.

We’re not called to base our believing on human experiences. We’re called to believe God’s Word.

Beloved, never put your eyes on people and their experiences, even good ones. The basis of your faith must always be God’s Word. Believe that God still heals today because His Word says so!

Gospel Corner

11/ 05/ 25

Whatever team sports you follow, you know that defense is vital. A good defensive strategy keeps you in contention, but defense alone doesn’t win championships.

The prayer of protection in Psalm 91 has many defensive elements. We’ve talked about dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, and taking the Lord as our refuge and fortress. We’ve seen how we are covered under His wings and protected by an angelic army. Now that we’ve got our defensive game covered, are you ready to play some offense?

Certainly, there are times and seasons when the best thing to do is to take cover and to allow ourselves to be sheltered. The Lord is our safe house, our hiding place, and our impenetrable fortress, and I love that we get to take refuge in Him.

But the prayer of protection also declares this in verse 13 (boldface mine): “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”

That’s taking an offensive position. That’s going on the attack. That’s taking authority!

In the Gospel of Luke, we see our Lord Jesus sending seventy disciples out against the kingdom of darkness, as “lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3). Have you ever seen a lamb overpower a wolf? Of course not.

You see, this authority that we are talking about is not natural authority. Like the lamb, you and I have no power in and of ourselves. This is a supernatural authority that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ, just as the strength that enabled Samson to tear apart the young lion was a supernatural strength.

The portrayals of Samson I have seen depict a massive and muscular man. I think he could have been small and scrawny, but endued with supernatural power and might from God.

Naturally speaking, for Samson to take on the lion with his bare hands was like a lamb taking on a ferocious wolf. But we know that He who is in us is greater than any predator that is in the world. Amen!

My friend, in Christ, you are far stronger than you think you are. You may not look it or feel it, but God always uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise and mighty (1 Cor. 1:27).

Remember, the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. It is the Lord who ultimately determines who shall emerge victorious. And since the Lord is for you, who can be against you (Rom. 8:31)!

10/05/25

Gospel Corner

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews.”
Acts 26:2, NKJV

Think Yourself Happy
After being in prison for two years on false charges, the apostle Paul was brought before King Agrippa for his trial. The first thing Paul said was, “King Agrippa, I think myself happy.” You would think he would see himself as a victim, be bitter and angry. But he shows us a secret of how to overcome all that. He said, “I think myself happy.” He was saying, “I consider myself fortunate to stand before you even though my accusers want me to be put to death.”

You can think yourself depressed, you can think yourself into a bad mood, and you can think yourself a victim. Or you can do as Paul did and say, “Yes, I’ve had a lot of difficulties. I could be sour and live discouraged, but I’m going to think myself happy.” As long as you’re thinking about your hurts, what you didn’t get, how you were left out, you’re going to be discouraged. Don’t replay the loss, the disappointment, or the failure. Start thinking faith-filled, positive, hopeful, uplifting thoughts. That’s what you’re going to draw in.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I can set my mind to be happy today and to be my best because You made this day. Thank You that I can keep it set when I meet the challenges of this day that want to push me toward being a victim. I am going to keep thinking faith-filled thoughts that strengthen me within. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

SECTION TWO

The devil is known as “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10). He will always try to keep you self-occupied and in fear. God wants you Christ-occupied and in faith!

You might have a friend of the same age who perhaps died suddenly from an illness even though he or she had seemed healthier than you. The devil will try to plant fears in your heart that you are next.

By now, you know what to do. Take up your shield of faith and declare, “It is written—’A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.’” Whatever “it” may be—cancer, disease, accidents, terrorist attacks—it shall not come near you! When you board a plane, that plane has no choice but to land safely because YOU are on board, amen!

Beloved, the Lord Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross so that you can stand upon His promises and claim them for your life. They are all fully paid for by the blood of Jesus, and the Father will see to it that you enjoy them!

If you do not know what promises to claim, can I encourage you to start with the many promises listed in Psalm 91? Memorize Psalm 91 and when you are under attack, quote it the way our Lord Jesus quoted Scripture. Meditate on Psalm 91 and allow yourself to be fortified by this prayer of protection.

There is such a power and authority that comes with quoting the pure and unadulterated written Word of God, and I invite you to start walking in that power and authority today!

For More information or Counselling  reach out to Us Today on +234 8025 681978

09/05/25

Gospel Corner

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”
John 4:26, NLT

Irrevocable
Jesus had stopped and was waiting at a well in Samaria when a woman came to get water. He asked her for something to drink. She said, “Sir, Jews don’t have anything to do with us Samaritans. Why are You asking me?” Jesus said, “If you knew who I am, you’d ask and I would give you living water.” Then he told her all about her life, how she had had five husbands and was living with a sixth man. There’s no doubt that people looked down on her and shamed her. She knew there was something special about Jesus. She said, “We know that one day the Messiah will come.” Jesus said to her, “I AM the Messiah.” The first person Jesus ever told that He was the Savior wasn’t the high priest or the Sanhedrin. He chose this despised woman whom society had written off as a moral failure.

God doesn’t choose the way we choose. He never writes you off. He never gives up on you. His calling on your life is irrevocable, which means He doesn’t change His mind.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You chose me to be Yours before I chose You and that my mistakes and failures cannot nullify Your calling. Thank You that You come to the well where I am to give me eternal life even though You know everything about me. I declare that You are my Messiah. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Did you know that when Jesus walked on earth, more than two-thirds of His ministry involved healing the sick? He went about healing the sick and all who came to Him were healed. The Bible records that “the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.”

I wish that somebody in Hollywood would produce that scene in Luke 6:19. You see the sick, lame, and blind coming to Jesus. And every time one of them touches Him, BAM!

His healing virtue is powerfully released and the person is healed and overjoyed! That’s a powerful image to have in your mind whenever you are believing God for healing!

08/05/25

Gospel  Corner

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.”
Psalm 81:11–12, NIV

How You Handle Difficulties
When the Israelites were out in the desert, rather than grow through the adversities they faced, they didn’t pass the test. They almost immediately became negative and bitter and complained when it wasn’t easy, when it was taking too long, when things weren’t going their way. God had brought them out of slavery, sent plagues on their oppressors, parted the Red Sea, drowned Pharaoh’s army, and provided them with manna every morning to eat. God didn’t do all those amazing things to leave them in the desert, but they said, “Moses, why did you bring us out into the desert to die?” Because they didn’t pass the test, because they never grew, never developed their faith and character, they spent forty years in the desert and never entered the Promised Land.

How you handle difficulties will determine whether you make it into your promised land. God has the good breaks, the right people, and the resources for you, but before that happens you have to prove to Him that you can handle it. Recognize that those are opportunities to come up higher.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are working out Your plan for my life in Your best way, including the difficult times when You test the quality of my faith. Thank You that You are preparing me for the next thing You have for me. Help me to always be faithful to You and pass the test. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

SECTION TWO

I love today’s Scripture. The answer, my friend, is found not in the law, but in the Son.

The law was given by a servant, Moses; grace came through the Son, Jesus. The grace revolution begins with a person and His name is Jesus.

When you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and a revelation of His grace, you have everything. You have, most importantly, a new and righteous identity in Christ.

Many believers don’t realize this but revelations can be stolen and forgotten. That’s what happened to the Corinthian church and Paul had to step in to remind them of their righteous identity in Christ.

This is also why it is so essential for you to be part of a local church where you can keep on hearing and hearing messages that are full of the person of Jesus, and be surrounded by Christ-centered leaders and friends who will always point you back to the Lord and your righteous identity in Christ.

I want to encourage you to have a daily consciousness of your righteousness in Christ by speaking and confessing your righteousness out loud. I believe that you know you are righteous in Christ, and that righteousness is a gift you cannot earn. While knowing this is fantastic, I want you to take a step further with me today and begin to practice confessing your righteousness in Christ daily.

My dear friend, when you are stressed out and a thousand things are screaming for your attention, say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” When you read some horrible news in the morning papers and your heart is gripped with fear for your loved ones, just say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” And when you are feeling a temptation to indulge again in a past addiction, now you know what to do: say quietly under your breath, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Your remaining in victory is directly related to how conscious you are of your righteous identity in Christ. If you truly desire to see lasting breakthroughs in your life and live above defeat, speak!

Speak out, speak up, and speak without doubt. And I promise you that you will live more stress free, more fearlessly, more boldly, and more victoriously than ever before!

Gospel Corner

07/05/25

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.
1 Kings 17:6–7, NLT

Don’t Settle in What’s Comfortable
In order to hide the prophet Elijah from King Ahab, God sent Elijah to a brook where the ravens would feed him and there was water to drink. It was just as God promised, with abundant provision delivered week after week. I’m sure he thought, “It doesn’t get any better than this. God’s favor is on me.” Elijah was comfortable there. But when the brook dried up, God told him to go to the city of Zarephath where a widow would take care of him. He could have been stubborn and said, “No, I’ve been blessed here. I’m staying in what has been working.” The problem was, the provision ceased. He hadn’t run out of favor. It was a necessary ending. God was moving him into a new level of his destiny. It was at Zarephath that Elijah saw some of the greatest miracles recorded in the Scripture.

Don’t fight the things God brings to an end. It’s a necessary ending so you will step into the new thing He has in store—something that’s bigger, better, more rewarding than you can imagine.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the times when You hide me from trouble and provide for all my needs. Thank You for the other times when You call me out of my comfort zone and take me where I’ve never gone. I look forward to wherever You want to lead me and whatever You want to do in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Beloved, I want to show you how you can pray for and experience God’s divine positioning for good success today.

There is a principle in interpreting God’s Word known as “the principle of first mention.” Every time a word is mentioned for the first time in the Bible, there is usually a special significance and lesson that we can learn.

Let’s take a look at the first occurrence of the word qarah. It is found in Genesis 24, when Abraham sent his unnamed servant to look for a bride for Isaac, his son.

The unnamed servant arrived at a well outside the city of Nahor in the evening and decided to stop there. There were so many young women gathered to draw water there that he did not know who would be the right woman for Isaac. So the unnamed servant prayed this prayer: “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”

The word “success” here is the Hebrew word qarah, and this is the first time it appears in the Bible. The servant essentially prayed, “Give me qarah this day.” It goes without saying that with the Lord’s qarah or positioning for right happenings, the servant found a beautiful virtuous woman named Rebekah, who became Isaac’s bride.

We need the Lord to give us qarah every day. I encourage you to pray the prayer of that unnamed servant. Tell the Lord, “Give me success—qarah—this day,” and depend on His unmerited favor to cause you to be at the right place at the right time!