Unabated can be defined as “Without any reduction in intensity or strength; sustaining an original intensity or maintaining full force with no decrease. It can also be without losing original force or violence; undiminished; with undiminished force, power or vigour”.

Progression can be defined as “The process of developing or moving gradually towards a more advanced state”.

One of the common goals of every man is to make progress or to move forward in life (regardless of whether the person is diligent or not, everyone desires progress). But making progress does not come easy; even to a diligent person, there are several factors that can still try to hinder one’s progress. Some of these are:

• Environmental factors: e.g climate (Gen. 26:1); soil (2 Kings 2: 19).
• Household enemies (Gen. 37:4).
• Demonic influence (I Peter 5:8).
• A prevailing curse on general humanity (Gen. 3:16-19).
• Specific generational curse (Ex. 20:5).
• Cultural factor (Esther 3:1-6).
• Personal error (Gen. 13: 9-11).
• etc

Joseph was destined to make tremendous progress in life. He began well by being the favourite of his father. As he grows up, however, he faced a series of hindrances. From the plot of his ten brothers who wanted to kill him and later sold him into slavery; to the plot of his master’s wife who lied against him; to the action of his master who threw him in prison without trial or mercy; to the negligence of Pharaoh’s Chief Butler who forgot to make a plea of release for him before Pharaoh.

God, however, bridged all these hindrances and granted Joseph an unabated progression in life; as predetermined by Him, as Joseph became the second in command to Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler of their time.

The Spirit of God has impressed it upon my spirit that we shall enjoy unabated progression in our destiny as a group and unabated destinies as individuals. Regardless of any or all hindrances we are facing or might face; we shall still attain to what God has predetermined for us as His special people in Jesus name.

The verb ‘magnify’ could mean “To extol, laud; to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect; to increase in significance, or to enlarge in fact or in appearance”. The noun ‘magnification’ on the other hand could mean “The action or process of magnifying something or being magnified; especially visually”.

It is possible for an object to be magnified by humans (as with magnifying glass); it is possible for humans to magnify another human (Acts 12:21-23); it is possible for humans to magnify a deity (Ex. 32: 1-6); it is possible for demons to magnify a human (Acts 8:9-11); and it is possible for God to magnify a human (Joshua 4:14).

God is higher than any other being, yet it is possible for Him to magnify the work of His hands in the sight of other creatures of His so that the glory of that life will be ascribed unto Him. God created the whole universe: all race, nationality, culture and ethnicity were created by Him. But at a particular point in human era, God decided He wanted a special race unto Himself. He raised up Abraham for this purpose (Gen. 12:1-3). So Abraham became the progenitor of the Children of Israel – the magnified race of God’s creation (Ex. 19: 5-6; Dt. 7:6; I Kgs. 8:53; I Chro. 17:22).

At a later time in human era, God sent His only begotten Son to this world to die for the sin of Man, those who believe in this work of redemption become a magnified race on earth amongst the creations of God (I Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6; Rev. 5:8-10).

It is important to say that when an object is magnified by an apparatus, as soon as the apparatus is removed, the object goes back to their original size. The same thing goes for when a human is magnified by another human or when demons magnified a human. As soon as the ‘magnifying device’ is removed, the person goes back to their real size or even smaller.

However, when God magnifies a being, the individual assumes that magnified status throughout their lifetime and even carries it on posthumously, except the person later misbehaves (Joshua 4:1-14).

The Spirit of the Lord says we should be prepared for His magnification. He says that among His creations, we are a special race to Him; and that He has chosen to demonstrate how special we are to Him to the world. He says that He will make it known that we are ‘a kingdom of kings and priests unto Him’. May these be evident in our lives in Jesus name.

An infusion can be defined as ‘the introduction of a new element or quality into something’. While dunamis can be defined as strength, power and ability, especially the power of the miraculous of or from God.

The nature of power is that it is meant to do work; and therefore it can be expended, even when the power is from God as an anointing. As long as that power resides in man, it is susceptible to reduction and can even be exhausted through usage or abuse.

When Jesus was on Earth, though God incarnated, He seldom goes to quiet places to receive new dunamis from His Father (Lk. 5:15-16), He also encouraged His disciples to do likewise (Mk. 6: 32-33).

In Acts 2: 1-4, the disciples were infused with the power of the Holy Ghost to do the works of the ministry, of which signs and wonders were wrought through their hands. The leaders of the church and of the people rose up against them, they wanted to kill Peter and John, but after they had beaten them, they were threatened never to speak in Jesus name anymore. When Peter and James got back to base, they gathered the disciples together and they cried out to God, requesting boldness to preach, and that healings, signs and wonders will be common in their ministry. They were then infused with new dunamis for service (Acts 4: 1-33).

I am strongly persuaded by the Spirit of God that in this new month and beyond, new dunamis will be infused into us for the work ahead. That strength and ability to minister with boldness, as well as the prevalence of signs and wonders will be infused into this ministry that God has invested into our hands. May we all be partakers of the new dunamis in Jesus name.

Love is an inherent part of God’s nature. The bible says “God is love” (I John 4:8). Even though many unbelievers, including some ignorant Christians, may embrace twisted version(s) of what God’s love means. The truth is that God is loving. It is the love of God that made Him allow His only begotten Son to die for the sin of the world (John 3:16). The Bible makes us know that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and made a way of escape for us (Rom. 5:8).

For those who surrendered their lives to God through Jesus Christ, God further demonstrates His enduring and everlasting love towards them (Psalms 103:11; John 17:9-12). God’s love is aimed at achieving holiness in those who believe in Him (Ephesians 5:25-26), and so to perfect this holiness in believers, God disciplines us in love when we do err (Heb. 12:6).

One aspect of God’s love however that may be difficult to swallow is that He can bestow His love on anyone by special grace using His sovereign will and none can query Him (Rom. 9:10-19; Mal. 1:1-3).

God singled out Saul and appointed him as the first leader of Israel, not because of his pedigree but by His special love of alone (I Sam. 9:19-27; 15:17). Saul however later committed two errors and the love of God upon his life elapsed (I Sam. 16:14). David was afterwards singled out by God as the next leader of Israel by special love, despite his low status (I Sam. 16:1-13). Likewise, David committed two errors as Saul, but the love of God upon his life stayed (2 Sam. 12:13; Psalms 89:20-36); although the state of the heart of the two men differ: Saul had a haughty heart; while David had a humbling heart.

Jesus summarised the whole duty of man into two laws: To love the Lord our God with the whole of our heart, soul, strength and mind; and to love our neighbours as ourselves. In this month of August, God’s promise to us is that the covenant of His unfailing love shall forever abide with us, by His own choice and will. He, however, wants us to equally render our own covenant of unfailing love to Him and to our neighbours as well.