^“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” [Ephesians 6:10 – 13 KJV].

 The Christian life is a mixed bag. When people give the impression that the moment you repent of your sins and accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, all your problems will be solved and everything about you in this life will be heaven on earth, they are mistaken. That sounds great but in reality, the story is a little different. If you read the Bible carefully, you will see that people who loved and served God enjoyed these blessings but they were not immune to life’s challenges. They had their difficulties and trials but God was always present to help His people get through them.

The world is not heaven. Only in heaven will there be no more pain or sorrow. However, you will face difficulties in this world. Trials, temptations, difficulties and challenges are all examples of tribulations. But the Bible assures us that we should be cheerful because Christ has overcome the world. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal saviour, we automatically become God’s children because the Bible says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name…” [John 1: 12 – 13]  But we are also enlisted in God’s army because we will have to live our Christian lives in this world rather than in heaven. As members of God’s army, God provides us with the resources we need to fight and win our battles in life. We all have battles to fight as individuals, families, and nation. However, all of these will always work together for the good for those who love God [Romans 8: 28].

We are engaged in warfare. According to the Bible but we are not fighting against flesh and blood. This warfare is not against humans but against the forces of darkness and these forces of darkness frequently use humans to achieve their goals. But we’re not fighting the human agents; we’re after the spirit that drives them and their actions. So, make no mistake: humans are not our enemies; the devil is the one who employs them. Because we are not fighting against humans, our weapons are spiritual in nature.  2 Corinthians 10: 3 – 5 says, “ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” [KJV].

 I thank God that in His sovereignty, He has led us to fast and pray at this specific time. It’s very strategic and I believe God orchestrated it. We are at a crossroads in the history of our country. Never before in the history of this country have we been at such crossroads. Unfortunately, many Christians are unaware of this. We are simply living and acting as if it were a normal time. It’s an unusual time and the forces of darkness that have long desired to engulf this country are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that their agenda is carried out. If they do, the church will suffer the most and we will witness unprecedented suffering in our country’s history. What happens between now and May 29th will determine whether we advance or regress fifty years. This is why I believe this fasting and prayer exercise came at the right time, because we are going to fight the devil and his agents to a stand still. If before now you’ve not taken our prayer and fasting exercise seriously, you should because it’s a matter of life and death. Don’t let anyone fool you. This is the current situation.

The Bible says that before the coming of Christ, the works of the antichrist will be manifest but the devil will be restrained by the presence of the church and the Holy Spirit until we are taken out of the way in the rapture. But the devil cannot have his way while we are here, so prepare for the fast. Our nation will be ruled by righteousness. In Nigeria, we will have another Mount Camel experience. We will also go through some of what the children of Israel went through in Egypt when they were held captive for many years and when God came to deliver them; He brought disasters upon the wicked. This will be our experience.

Prayer is one of the weapons listed in our opening text for successfully fighting these spiritual battles. In 2 Chronicles 20: 1 – 18, the Israelites used this defensive weapon to defeat the Ammonites. They fasted, prayed and praised God and the battle was won. In the same way, God will take over the battle for Nigeria’s salvation to His glory and honour in Jesus’ name. Amen.  And what applies to us as a country applies to us as individuals as well. God is not only concerned about our spiritual well being; He is concerned about our concerns as well. Everything that touches us catches God’s attention. If you love and serve Him faithfully, He will not let you down. Scripture reassures us, as many that put their trust in Him will never be put to shame [Romans 10: 11]. You may be going through some difficult times right now that no one else understands but God does; He will see you through it all and deliver you to the glory, honour and praise of His name.