The Joyfull Online

02/02/2026

Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc DSc DD

Monday, February 2nd 2026

*REAL SPIRITUAL TRAVAIL*

📚Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved (Romans 10:1)

Before you minister God’s Word to people, whether to an individual or to a group, I recommend that you pray fervently in intercession for them to receive the Word. Recall what the Bible says happened to seeds (the Word) that were sown into uncultivated ground; they choked and died (read the Parable of the sower in Luke
8:5-15).

The message you bear is too precious to be handled casually. You can’t share such weighty truths without first
ploughing the ground in the Spirit. The right prayer is vital for the message to bring transformation. In Colossians
4:12, Paul said, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

The underlined phrase is from the Greek verb *“agonizomai”*, and it means to struggle, to contend, to fight; it’s as one contending for something. During such prayer, it’s as though you’re seizing lives out of Satan’s grip. You look at one who’s yet to know the Lord or already a Christian but doesn’t take the things of God seriously, and your spirit refuses to let them remain in that state.

Therefore, you cry out to the Lord in their behalf, praying for them to be stirred in their hearts and to set their affection on Christ and His love. You pray that they walk in the fear of the Lord, guided by His Word, with their priorities aligned with His divine will. You intercede for their establishment in righteousness, their fervency in spirit, and their fruitfulness in every good work and that their lives bring glory to the Lord in all they do.

The most beautiful part is, as you pray for them this way, something happens in your own spirit. In those moments of intercessory tears and soul travail, the Spirit of God releases more grace into your life. You obtain help in the throne room and draw grace for others. It’s how we transform lives through the ministry of the Spirit in prayer.

*PRAYER*
Dear Father, thank you for your grace at work in me as I labour fervently in prayer for those to whom I minister. Their hearts are prepared to receive your truth; every distraction is removed, and their affections are set on you, on things above; they are established in righteousness, fervent in spirit, and fruitful in every good work, bringing glory to you in all things, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

*FURTHER STUDY:*
Luke 22:44 (KJV)
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

James 5:16-18 (AMPC)
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the land for three years and six months [as the result of his prayer].
And [then] he prayed again and the heavens gave forth rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].

*ONE YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:*
Matthew 23 & Exodus 24-25

*TWO YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:*
Acts 14:19-28 & Job 36-37

27/01/2026

Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional

Tuesday, January 27th 2026

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc DSc DD

*A GIFT WELL DESERVED*

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

There’s something profoundly beautiful about the righteousness we have in Christ Jesus: even though it was given to us as a gift, it is a gift well deserved.

Someone might say, “But I thought it was an unmerited favour?” Not exactly; righteousness wasn’t given to us as an unmerited favour but as a well-deserved gift of grace, and I’ll explain.

First, understand that Christianity didn’t begin before the Cross, on the Cross, or even from the Cross; it began after the resurrection. What does this mean? When God raised Jesus from the dead, He raised Him with the righteousness of God. And the Bible says we were raised together with Him. When the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead, He was born again.

Recall the prophetic words of the Psalmist, echoed by Paul in Acts 13:33, “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” The Lord Jesus was the first of the new creation, and we were made alive together with Him. In Him, you became a new creation, not a sinner in need of mercy.

All your sins were buried with Christ. Your old nature was crucified with Him. Everything about you that was condemned or condemnable was nailed to the Cross with Him. Romans 6:4 says, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” So, when Jesus was raised from the dead, we were born into a newness of life; we were born with His righteousness. It wasn’t unmerited!

We deserved what we got because we’re born of Him. We belong to Him. Let this understanding guide your walk with God! This is the very message He sent us to preach and teach. He wants the world to know that they’ve been made righteous in Christ Jesus. They don’t have to struggle for it; they don’t have to try to attain it, because it’s unattainable. It’s a gift purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ; a gift well deserved, for He paid the price to make it so. Hallelujah!

*PRAYER*
Dear Father, I thank you for granting me the understanding and revelation of my righteousness in Christ Jesus. I walk boldly in the consciousness that I was raised together with Christ, justified, perfected and born righteous. I reign in life, expressing your nature and fulfilling your will with boldness and joy, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

*FURTHER STUDY*:
Romans 5:12-17 (KJV)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 6:4 (NIV)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Matthew 19:1-15 & Exodus 13-14

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Acts 13:1-12 & Job 24-25

26/01/2026

Excerpt from the Message Sons of God by Pastor Chris (DSc DSc DD)
Distinguishing between 'commanding' and 'argumentative' prayer depends on the nature of the situation and whether you are exercising your personal authority or appealing to God's decree. While commanding prayer uses your office as a "royal priest" to issue orders, argumentative prayer involves pleading your case before God with "strong reasons".
Are you currently facing a specific challenge where you are unsure which of these prayer methods to apply?
1. Commanding Prayer: The Office of the Priest
Commanding prayer is based on your identity as a new creation and a "life-giver". In this mode, you do not plead with God; instead, you use simple words of command.
• When to Use It: Use this for situations under your personal authority, such as dealing with illness or physical challenges.
• The Mechanism: Your mouth is described by the Greek word stoma, which means "the edge of a weapon". When you speak the Word, it acts as a living and active tool that can "cut out" negative circumstances like cancer.
• The Mindset: It requires the consciousness that you are a joint-heir with Christ, owning 100% of the authority He has.
2. Argumentative Prayer: Pleading Your Case
Argumentative prayer is necessary when dealing with things outside your personal territory, such as God's plans, decrees, or blessings. This is not "meaningless" or "empty" prayer; it is a structured legal appeal to the Father.
• When to Use It: Use this to change a "decree" or a plan that is not God’s perfect will for your life, or when dealing with a blessing like rain (which is under God's domain).
• The Mechanism: You must "bow your knees" and present "strong reasons" to God, much like a lawyer stating a case.
• Key Examples:
o King Hezekiah: When told he would die, he argued that the dead cannot celebrate God, and God added 15 years to his life.
o Elijah: He used "heartfelt, continued prayer" to stop and start the rain, persisting until he had a spiritual assurance.

How to Know Which to Use
If you find yourself mixing the two—pleading when you should command or commanding when you should plead—it often results in confusion and a lack of results. To gain clarity, the sources suggest:
• Pray in Tongues: This brings a "light in your spirit" that guides your next steps.
• Study the Word: Ignorance of the scriptures is often the primary limitation to effective prayer.
• Attune Your Spirit: Prayer helps you "key your spirit" into the station where God's blessings are already available.

04/01/2026

First Sunday of the YEAR of Manifestation

28/12/2025

Join us for the New Year’s Eve Service at Christ Embassy Camp, Abeokuta, located on Funaab Road, beside Living Proof Mall, Camp, Abeokuta.

Date: 31 December 2025
Come and hear the Word that will propel you to the next level as you step into 2026.

21/12/2025

2025 Thanksgiving service with Highly Esteem Pastor T.T Temisan

WELCOME TO END OF YEAR THANKSGIVING SERVICE WITH PASTOR TT TEMISAN Kindly like, share, and subscribe.God bless you. ...

17/12/2025

Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
Rev Chris Oyakhilome Dsc. Dsc. DD.

Wednesday 17th December, 2025.

*EXCELLENCE—OUR KINGDOM CULTURE*

*Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him... (Daniel 6:3)*

In the Kingdom of God, excellence is our culture. We don’t strive for excellence; we do excellent things. Excellence is the nature of the Father, and because we’re born of Him, we express that same nature in everything we do. Excellence distinguishes you; it positions you above mediocrity and gives you the advantage that skills alone can’t give you.

Daniel’s elevation above his peers wasn’t based on mere skills, politics or connections; it was the spirit of excellence in him: “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Daniel 6:3). That same spirit is in you because the Holy Spirit lives in you.

Excellence is about character, consistency, and distinction in your work and attitude. God didn’t call you to be average; He anointed you to shine, to show forth His glory: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

2 Peter 1:3 says, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” You were called to glory and virtue; virtue means excellence. So, whether in ministry, business, academics, or in your daily life: manifest excellence. Let it reflect in your vision, speech, appearance, the way you execute tasks, and in your punctuality.

Manifest precision, diligence, and distinction. Don’t excuse mediocrity. Excel. Give your best, not because men are watching, but because you represent the Kingdom. You’re the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and excellence is part of righteousness. Every task is an opportunity to express that divine excellence. Therefore, be detailed, diligent, dependable, and exceptional.

*Prayer*:
Dear Father, thank you for the spirit of excellence working in me by the Holy Ghost. I function in precision, diligence, and distinction. I represent your Kingdom accurately and gloriously. My life and work are expressions of your excellence. I refuse to settle for average, for greater is He that is in me than he that’s in the world. Amen.

*Further Study*:
*Proverbs 22:29 (KJV)*
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

*Philippians 1:9-10 (KJV)*
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

*Daniel 6:3 (AMPC)*
Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Revelation 9 & Jonah 1-4

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 21:13-25 & 2 Chronicles 31

16/12/2025

The Fullness of God

16/12/2025

Our Life is the utmost and obvious and first contact that people read and observe.

Think about it, what if someone watched your everyday life- how you handle stress, forgive quickly, love generously, stay honest when it's costly, speak graciously- and thought... “There’s something different here. I want whatever that is.”

That quiet pull, that unspoken curiosity in their eyes? That's God’s purpose for you.

You don’t need a pulpit, a microphone, or even a perfectly scripted speech to share the Gospel. Sometimes the most powerful message you proclaim is the life you live.
People are watching you. Your friends, family members, colleagues, and even strangers. Your life is a message. Live in such a way that draws others to know Christ. The Gospel is not just to be preached. It’s something we live by.