My girls would normally prank each other. One of them can just hide in a corner and jump out to scare the other. So recently, the younger one pranked the older one as usual. The older one shouted; “You scared me!” The response of my younger daughter got me inspired; “Why are you scared? Are you not a child of God?”

Friend, are you not a child of God? The greatest title you can ever bear is not the title of an apostle, prophet, or bishop. It is the title of a child of God (John 1:12). Actually, being a child of God is not a title. It is a life. It is a reality. It is a force in the spirit that you need to be aware of. It is not the title you bear, but the conscisoness you carry (1 John 4:4, 5:4).

If you know the reality of redemption, you would stop living anyhow (Colossians 1:12-14). You would stop getting scared. You would stop living as though you are ordinary. You would look the devil in the face and give him a serious knock on his head (Psalms 110:1-3). If my younger daughter knows that a child of God should not be scared, I think you should know too (1 John 4:15-19).

By the way, the devil loves to prank people. He wants to see if you would fall for his gimmicks. He knows that he has been stripped of his power against the children of God (Matthew 28:18, Hebrews 2:14). All he does now is prank you. It is to use the weapon of fear and deception. He is not a lion, but he is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Surprisingly, the devil does not have a new trick. He is the same old serpent who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). He is not a new serpent with a new strategy. He is the same old serpent who deceived Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-11, 1 Timothy 2:14). But why does the devil keep using this same old trick on people? He knows that people always forget who they are.

Lack of revelation of your identity will always sell you cheap in the hands of the devil (Psalms 82:5-7). Let me ask you again; “Are you not a child of God?” If yes, then why are you afraid? Why do you permit the devil to oppress you in your sleep? Why do you feel stranded and helpless (Isaiah 50:7-8)? Listen, until you know who you are and function from that consciousness, you would always fall for the devil’s pranks.

‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria