FOCUS: “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 3)

MEMORY VERSE: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1: 1)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord leads him in paths of righteousness. The Shepherd didn’t only lead the psalmist to green pastures; He did not only lead him beside still waters; He also led him to the paths of righteousness. By the psalmist’s assertion, righteousness has paths and the Shepherd led him therein. The leading of the Shepherd caused the psalmist to be led in the paths of righteousness.

Friend, as the Lord leads you, there are paths He intends to lead you through, and those paths are called paths of righteousness. Righteousness has paths. That also means that unrighteousness has paths. Righteousness has paths it will approve of and some paths it will disapprove of. Righteousness comes from the root word ‘right’. As the Lord leads you, He also intends that you be on the path of what is right, not what is wrong.

When you find yourself in pathways that lead you to unrighteousness, you may need to ask yourself if God is still leading you or your flesh has taken over. If you find yourself desiring what the Lord hates, check who is leading. If your appetite for what is right is waning and your appetite for what is wrong is growing, then maybe you are not being led by the Lord anymore, or perhaps you are not following His leading as before.

In 1 Corinthians 10 vs. 23, Apostle Paul rightly said, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not”. When the Lord leads you, you may have to deal with walking away from paths that are not even entirely ungodly, in order to preserve your consecration. When the Lord leads you, He literally redefines what is right for everyone and what is right for you based on His calling.

In 2 Timothy 2 vs. 19 (KJV), Apostle Paul wrote thus to Timothy: “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity”. If you have chosen to be led in the paths of righteousness, then also choose to depart from the paths of unrighteousness.

FURTHER READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 6, 10; PSALM 1

DECLARATION:

• I am led in the paths of righteousness, in Jesus’ name!

The post PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 3)

MEMORY VERSE: “But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.” (Proverbs 6: 31)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord restores his soul. Notice that the soul is not some tangible item which when lost, everyone would know. The soul is symbolic of the unseen. It is symbolic of what the eyes cannot easily see. So, the psalmist inferred that the Lord restores what he lost where eyes cannot see. The psalmist inferred that the Lord seeks out that which is missing in secret places and restores same.

Friend, there may be people who imagine that all is well with you without realizing that there are several things missing in secret places. People may not know what is missing in your health. People may not know where your finances have taken huge blows. People may not be aware of where you have lost your zeal and passion for God. They may not know where your commitment is missing. They may not see what is missing.

Hear me as I hear the Lord: whatever is missing, I decree, let the Lord cause it to be restored. May the Lord arise and restore the hidden things in your life that are missing. May the Lord arise and restore what eyes cannot see. May the Lord arise and restore the fire in your inner man. May the Lord arise and restore the joy that is missing in your life. May the Lord arise and restore the plantings of the Lord in you that are missing.

Whatever the enemy has damaged in your inner man, may the Lord arise and restore it. Whatever has gone wrong where eyes cannot see, may the Lord arise and restore it. Whatever has gone wrong where you cannot disclose to anyone, may the Lord arise and restore. The same way the Lord paid attention to restore what is missing in the life of the psalmist, the Lord will arise and restore what is missing where eyes cannot see.

Your season of restoration is here. What is missing has been found. Receive the help of God that brings restoration with compensation.

FURTHER READING: PROVERBS 6

DECLARATION:

• I receive restoration for whatever is missing where eyes cannot see, in Jesus’ name!

The post DIVINELY RESTORED appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 3)

MEMORY VERSE: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” (Joel 2: 25)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks about how the Lord restores his soul. Notice that in the narrative, the shepherd already took the sheep on a journey from green pastures to still waters, and thereafter there was need to restore the soul of the sheep. What the sheep lost in the journey was restored. The shepherd gave back what was lost in the sheep. There was a giving back to the sheep. There was restoration.

Friend, hear me as I hear the Lord: the grace of God will recreate whatever has been lost in your life. Whatsoever is missing in your life, I decree, let the Lord restore. The Lord restores whatever is missing in your health. The Lord restores what you lost in years back. The Lord restores whatever you lost in your finances. The Lord restores the time you lost. The Lord restores the opportunities you lost. The Lord restores your losses.

By the grace of God, receive back everything you lost. Receive back the opportunities you lost. Receive the relevance you lost. Receive back the resources you lost. Receive back the access you lost. Receive back the financial gates you lost. Receive back the favours you lost. Receive back the health you lost. Receive back the help and helpers you lost. Receive back the celebrations and congratulations you lost. Receive back your losses.

When God restores, He does not just give back the much you lost. God restores with compensation. I pray for you: may the Lord give you back what is missing with compensation. May God give you back more than what you lost. May the Lord use the occasion of your losses to cause you to have more than you have ever had. May the Lord use your losses as occasion to make your path shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

Welcome to your season of receiving back what you lost. Welcome to your season of restoration with compensation.

FURTHER READING: JOEL 2

DECLARATION:

• Whatsoever I lost is restored, in Jesus’ name!

The post RESTORED appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “2. …he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 2-3)

MEMORY VERSE: “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30: 21)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord leads him beside still waters. He also speaks of how the Lord leads him in the paths of righteousness. The psalmist established the idea that it is God who leads him. Whether it be still waters or paths of righteousness, it was the Lord that led the psalmist. The Lord gave direction to the psalmist. The Lord took responsibility for choosing the direction that the psalmist would walk in.

Friend, I pray for you: may you enjoy the blessing of divine direction. May the Lord show you the way to go. May the Lord show you the way not to go. May the Lord show you what to do and what not to do. May the Lord show you the paths to walk in and those to avoid. May the Lord show you the direction your destiny should take. May the Lord show you divine direction. May the Lord set you on a path that should lead you to succeed.

Notice that the Lord led the psalmist both beside still waters and even in paths of righteousness. Terrains changed but divine direction remained constant. Hear me as I hear the Lord: terrains may change but direction is sure. Environments might change but divine direction will never elude you. You may not always know what is best but the Lord will direct you. God will lead you in the way that you should go. God will grant you direction.

I pray for you: may you enjoy divine direction in your career. May you enjoy divine direction in ministry. May you enjoy divine direction in your family. May God lead you in the way that will cause your expectations to become reality. May God lead you to the path of your help and helpers. May God lead you to the way of success. May God lead you in directions of safety. May God lead you in the path of safety.

When God leads, nothing goes wrong. Ask the Lord to lead you. Welcome to the season of divine direction.

FURTHER READING: PSALM 105, ISAIAH 30

DECLARATION:

• I walk in divine direction, in Jesus’ name!

The post DIVINELY DIRECTED appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23: 2)

MEMORY VERSE: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” (Ephesians 5: 15)

One major reason why the shepherds in bible times ensured that waters were stilled so that sheep can drink, was because of the wooly nature of the sheep. The sheep has a wooly body and would be soaked if it got into waters, and possibly drown. So, the idea of still waters was to give the sheep a chance to drink from the waters without being soaked in the waters. The waters were stilled so that the sheep can drink and walk away.

Friend, there are waters you are meant to drink from but you are not meant to swim in same, or else you would be drowned. There are waters you need to drink carefully without being ‘entangled’ in the waters. There are waters you need to drink from and simply walk away. The same way the sheep was led beside the still waters but not into the still waters, discern the waters you can drink from and pass by without entering in.

As you grow in life, God will bring you to relationships you need to drink from and walk away without being entangled. God will bring you to people who you can only drink from but never be connected to. There are opportunities you will have to explore and take the best out of it without looking like you got into it. There are waters you can drink but must not soak yourself in. There are waters not to be engrossed in.

Be sensitive to discern when the Lord would not have you swim in certain waters. Be sensitive to the waters that are good enough to drink from but not okay to get into. Be sensitive to know the waters that God is only comfortable to lead you by. If God says to drink and move on, please don’t make the mistake of getting into it. If God says to drink and move on, don’t stay back there because you were refreshed by the waters you drank.

Life will always present you with still waters that you may be tempted to swim in, but don’t fall for it. Be content to have God lead you beside still waters, and be discerning enough to know when you must never get in.

FURTHER READING: EPHESIANS 5

DECLARATION:

• I discern the still waters that I can drink from but must not get into, in Jesus’ name!

The post DISCERN THE WATERS appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23: 2)

MEMORY VERSE: “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (Psalm 103: 14)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord leads him like a shepherd leads the sheep beside still waters. Because of the weakness of sheep, shepherds in bible times often created a speed break on the waters, so that the speed of the waters would not carry away the sheep if they tried to drink from flowing waters. Some animals may have been strong enough to deal with flowing waters, but waters needed to be stilled for sheep.

Friend, God knows the flowing waters that you cannot drink from. He knows the difficult places you cannot fight in. He knows the terrains that you are not strong enough to survive in. He knows the contemporaries you cannot effectively compete with. He knows the battles you won’t win if you were left alone to fight all by yourself. God knows your limitations in frame. He knows the waters that may drown you.

Hear me as I hear the Lord: in this season, God will lead you beside still waters. God will lead you beside the waters that are too speedy. God will still the waters so that you can drink from it. God will cause the things that are difficult for others to be made easy for you. God will cause your portion to be stilled so that you can have it without being in danger. God will cause your waters to be stilled so that you can drink without drowning.

I pray for you: may you not be drowned by the same waters you came to drink from. May you not fall as a result of the same miracles you came to partake from. May you not depreciate because of the waters that God brought you to. May it not be said that you came to drink from the waters and ended up being swallowed therein. May it not be said that your waters were too violent and carried you away because you came to have your portion.

Welcome to that season where the Lord will still your waters. Welcome to that season where the Lord will cause you to drink without being drowned.

FURTHER READING: PSALM 103

DECLARATION:

• The Lord is calming my waters; I will have my portion with ease, in Jesus’ name!

The post STILL WATERS appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

The post Sunday Service |And The Lord Reversed It appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23: 2)

MEMORY VERSE: “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.” (Psalm 18: 28)

After speaking of how the Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures, David speaks in our Focal Scripture about how the Lord leads him beside the still waters. After being made to lie down in green pastures, there was movement afterwards, led by the Lord Himself. So, the green pastures did not mark the end of movement. Green pastures did not remove the need for leading and movement. Green pastures were followed by the leading of the Lord beside still waters.

Friend, you will be making the mistake of your life if you imagine that your green pasture is an indication for you to stop moving. Your green pasture does not mean you should stop growing. Your green pasture does not mean you should not rise higher to greater things. Your green pasture is no excuse to become stagnated and start a journey of personal decline. Your green pasture does not mean that the Lord is done leading you. Your green pasture should not make you to need God less.

Notice that the psalmist first made mention of the issue of green pastures, and then followed up with the leading of the Lord beside still waters. That means, after green pastures, there was still the leading of the Lord. No matter how green your pastures have become, allow the Lord to keep leading you. No matter how much you have achieved or attained, let the Lord continue to lead you. Don’t end your walk with Jesus because He helped you.

Has the Lord brought you to your green pastures? Make a commitment to keep growing. Make a commitment to keep being led by Him. Make a commitment to become better than you are currently. Make a commitment to continue to be an improved version of yourself. Make a commitment to make sure that no new day finds you on the same level the past day left you in. Make a commitment to keep moving.

May it never be said that you stopped because you arrived at your green pasture. May it never be said that your green pastures became your highway to stagnation.

FURTHER READING: PSALM 18

DECLARATION:

• I will not be stopped by my green pastures, in Jesus’ name!

The post KEEP MOVING appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23: 2)

MEMORY VERSE: “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” (Psalm 46: 5)

In the tale of Psalm 23, the psalmist began with declaring that the Lord is his shepherd, and that he shall not want. The next thing that was mentioned was the matter of being made to lie down in green pasture. Very early in the narrative, the psalmist was already lying down. To lie down is to be in a posture of rest. So, early in the narrative, the psalmist was in a position of rest. The Lord caused the psalmist to have early rest.

Friend, hear me as I hear the Lord: this is your season of early miracles. Your congratulations will come early. Your rest will come early. Your good news will come early. The help of God will come to you early. The breakthroughs that are coming your way will come early. You will enjoy early satisfaction. When men think it is too early for you to elevated, you will receive elevation. When men think it is too early for you to rise, you will rise.

Hear me as I hear the Lord: the things you thought should come much later will come to you early. You will rise to new thrones earlier than expected. You will wear new crowns earlier than expected. You will be congratulated earlier than expected. Your harvest will come earlier than expected. Your new chapters of greatness will come earlier than expected. Your doors and gates will open to you earlier than expected.

Anyone in a posture of rest is not in a troubled situation. A man who is at rest is a man who is not at war. Hear me as I hear the Lord: your rest will come earlier than expected. While others are still laboring in their families, marriage, career, business, ministry, etc. you would already have been at rest ahead of them. The Lord will cause you to be at rest on all sides. He that causes wars to cease will cause your wars to cease early.

Welcome to that season where your rest will come early. Welcome to your season of early answers.

FURTHER READING: PSALM 46

DECLARATION:

• I receive early help; my rest shall come early, in Jesus’ name!

The post EARLY ANSWERS appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.

FOCUS: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23: 2)

MEMORY VERSE: “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.” (Psalm 92: 13)

In our Focal Scripture, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures. Notice that the psalmist did not speak of withered pastures; he spoke about green pastures. When pastures are green, it means they are fresh and flourishing. So, by the affirmation of the psalmist, God brought him to pasture that is fresh and flourishing. God brought the psalmist to fruitful and flourishing grounds.

Friend, hear me as I hear the Lord: your pastures will be green. Your pastures will be flourishing. Your pastures will be fruitful. Your pastures will be desirable. God will cause the works of your hands to flourish. God will cause your career to flourish. God will cause your business to flourish. God will cause your ministry to flourish. God will cause your fields to flourish. God will cause your life to be a tale of freshness and productivity.

When God planted a garden, He caused a river to come out of Eden. God created a system that watered the garden he planted. Hear me as I hear the Lord: God will set systems in place to ensure that your pastures remain evergreen. God will position men that will water your garden. God will set the systems of heaven to work in favour of your garden. No matter whose garden is withered, yours will remain evergreen.

There could have been withered pastures elsewhere, but the psalmist spoke of how the Lord caused him to have green pastures. Hear me as I hear the Lord: others may have withered pastures, but it will not be your portion. You will not have dry pastures. You will not be unfruitful in your harvest season. You will not manage anything below your destiny mandate. You will not be counted amongst them that are in famine.

Welcome to your season of green pastures. Welcome to that season where your fields will be green with harvest.

FURTHER READING: PSALM 92

DECLARATION:

• My pastures will be green; no more dryness, in Jesus’ name!

The post GREEN PASTURES appeared first on Streams of Joy Houston.