THE POWER OF THE TONGUE Speak Life • Guard Your Words ANCHOR SCRIPTURE Proverbs 21:23 (KJV) “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” 1. WORDS HAVE POWER Your words can build or destroy, encourage or hurt, heal or discourage. Think before you speak. 2. GUARD YOUR MOUTH Avoid: Gossip • Lies • Insults • Anger • Negative declarations Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” 3. SPEAK TO BUILD Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) “...that which is good to the use of edifying...” Before you speak, ask: Is it true? Is it necessary? Will it build? 4. CONTROL YOUR TONGUE When angry—pause. When hurt—don't speak from the wound. When blessed—give thanks. 5. SPEAK FAITH, NOT DEFEAT Don't keep saying: “I can't.” “I'm finished.” Say: “God is my strength.” “I will not give up." “God is with me.” Faith-filled words don't deny reality; they refuse to surrender to defeat. KEY LESSON 1. Think before speaking. 2. Guard your tongue. 3. Speak truth. 4. Build others. 5. Control your anger. 6. Speak life. FINAL CHARGE Your tongue is small, but its impact is great. Don't use your mouth to destroy what you are praying for. Speak wisely. Speak graciously. Speak life. PRAYER Father, help me to control my tongue and use my words wisely. Let my words bring encouragement, healing and hope. Keep me from destructive speech, and let everything I say honour You. In Jesus' name, Amen. Prepared by Rev. Frank Fabian Aidoo +233544295158

Verse of the Day Ephesians 4:2 NIV Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Paul instructed believers in Jesus to live a faithful and fruitful “life worthy of the Lord and [to] please him in every way” (Colossians 1:10). Using a metaphor of replacing old clothes with new, he commands us to “put to death” our worldly, sinful habits (3:5-9) and adorn Christlike virtues (vv. 10-15). Paul singled out the importance of not engaging in harmful speech—“slander,” “filthy language,” and “lie[s]” (vv. 8-9). Truthfulness is essential for believers, for Christ is “the truth” (John 14:6). Elaborating in another letter, the apostle tells us to “stop telling lies [and] tell our neighbors the truth . . . . Let everything [we] say be good and helpful, so that [our] words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:25, 29 nlt). When we “[speak] the truth in love” (v. 15), we bless others. And we’ll “[grow] in every way more and more like Christ” (v. 15 nlt).

Monday, 17th August, 2026 TITLE: "STRENGTHENED BY GOD'S SPIRIT, NOT BY HUMAN POWER" ANCHOR SCRIPTURE(S) Ephesians 3:16 (KJV) "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Zechariah 4:6 (KJV) "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." QUOTE TO REFLECT ON "What human strength cannot accomplish, God's Spirit can." DAY'S REFLECTION Every journey has moments when our natural strength feels insufficient. We may have responsibilities to carry, challenges to overcome, or assignments that seem greater than our ability. At such times, God reminds us that we were never meant to depend entirely on ourselves. Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:16 that believers would be "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." The inner man refers to our spiritual life—our heart, faith, character, and relationship with God. God does not only strengthen us outwardly; He strengthens us from within so that we can remain faithful even when circumstances are difficult. To be strengthened means to receive divine ability, courage, endurance, and spiritual stability. Sometimes God changes the situation; at other times, He strengthens us to stand firmly in the situation until His purpose is accomplished. Zechariah 4:6 gives us the same principle: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit." Human might can represent resources, influence, position, or physical strength, while power can represent human ability and effort. These things have their place, but they are not the ultimate source of spiritual victory. God was teaching Zerubbabel that the work before him would be accomplished through dependence on the Holy Spirit. Likewise, some assignments in our lives cannot be completed successfully through human effort alone. We need God's direction, strength, wisdom, and enabling grace. Life experience teaches us that determination can take us far, but there are situations where determination alone is not enough. When our strength is exhausted, God's strength remains available. When our resources are limited, God's resources are unlimited. Therefore, do not face today's responsibilities saying, "I cannot do this." Instead, say, "Lord, strengthen me by Your Spirit." Depend on Him in prayer, surrender your plans to Him, and allow His Spirit to empower you. Your victory does not depend solely on how strong you are. It depends on the God who strengthens you. MEDITATION SCRIPTURE(S) Isaiah 40:29 (KJV) "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Philippians 4:13 (KJV) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. LIFE LESSONS (IMPLICATIONS) 1. God strengthens us from the inside through His Spirit. 2. Human ability has limits, but God's power has no limits. 3. Spiritual victory comes through dependence on God, not self-reliance. 4. Weakness can become an opportunity to experience God's strength. 5. Prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit are essential for fulfilling God's purposes. EVERYDAY ACTION Begin today by surrendering your plans to God and asking His Spirit to strengthen and guide you. PRAYER Heavenly Father, strengthen me by Your Spirit in my inner man. Help me not to depend on human strength alone, but to trust Your power and guidance in everything I do. In Jesus' name, Amen. DECLARATION I am strengthened by the Spirit of God. I will not depend on human power alone. The Lord gives me strength, wisdom, courage, and grace to fulfil His purpose for my life. Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. Amen. Devotion by Rev. Frank Fabian Aidoo 📞 +233 544 295 158 Follow us on WhatsApp 👇👇👇 https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6EpEqHbFV78wOHgv2P

Learning to Live Humbly Have you ever met an angry Christian? You may have come across Christians who seem to grumble, complain, or even speak harshly about other people. Maybe you’ve even been that person at times in your own life. If we're not careful, we can easily become self-righteous within Christianity. After all, we know the truth and others may not. You might see how tempting it can be to look down on others, demean them, or consider them as worse off than ourselves. But this misses the point of the gospel of Jesus. The gospel tells us that all of us begin at the same starting point. And it’s only by grace through faith that we come to salvation and learn the truth about God’s love for us. That doesn’t make us any better than other Christians! In fact, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:2, we should actually be humble and gentle with others, rather than harsh and critical. He says we are to be patient with one another, helping each other in every way possible so we can all grow together. These ideas aren’t original to Paul. They actually came from how Jesus lived his life. As followers of Jesus, we too should strive to be gentle, humble, and patient with everyone in our lives. Regardless of whether they look or think a different way, every person deserves dignity, patience, and love. Take some time today to consider a few ways that you can grow in patience, humility, and love with others. It could be slowing down long enough for people to know you care, saying something encouraging to someone, or admitting that you’ve made a mistake. Make the decision today to live in humility and grace with others.

Ephesians 4:2 NLT [2] Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.4.2.NLT

Ephesians 4:32 AMP [32] Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you. https://bible.com/bible/1588/eph.4.32.AMP

Monday thought:- 💭 It is hard sometimes to lower ourselves especially when someone is blaming us for things we didn't do. But God gave us a spirit of humility and gentleness. To Note - : Galatians 5:22 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Ephesians 4:2 KJV

THE PILGRIMS GUIDE MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2026 THE MIRACULOUS FILLINGS FROM GOD A WORD FROM THE WORD: "And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts." 2 Kings 3:16-17 KJV. From the context of our foundational Scripture we saw that Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, in alliance with King Jehoram of Israel, were stranded in the wilderness with their troops, who could not find any water as they prepared for war against Edom. They were afraid that severe thirst would kill them and their men even before the fight with Edom. They consulted Elisha the prophet of God who got a word from God for them. What was needed was water, it did not matter whether it will come without rain or without a river providing it. There are miraculous things that will happen for those who know how to seek God and follow His direction. God wants to instruct and direct His children. He says 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.' (Psalm 32:8 ESV). As you listen to Him, He will guide you into outstanding results, even if it requires breaking protocols. PRAYER BULLETS: ABBA Father, thank You for Your promises. Guide me, O Shepherd of my soul into the miraculous, even to the breaking of protocols. FURTHER READING: Isaiah 48:17; Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:20. _________________________________________ ©️ Amaobi Nwachukwu 2026. If you're blessed by this, please, do share with others. And if you'll like to partner with us, kindly check page 3 of our hard copy edition or better still send us a WhatsApp message or call on +234 8098421967. #ThePilgrimsGuide.

The battle you’re facing may look physical, but Scripture reminds us that there is often more happening than what our eyes can see. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…” — Ephesians 6:12 That’s why we cannot fight spiritual battles with earthly weapons. We fight on our knees. We stand on the Word of God. We put on the full armor of God and trust the One who has already secured the victory. When the enemy whispers fear, raise the shield of faith. When lies surround you, fasten the belt of truth. When your mind becomes a battlefield, put on the helmet of salvation. And when darkness presses in, lift the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. You were never called to fight alone. Stand firm. Stay armored. Keep praying. Jesus has already won the victory. ⚔️🛡️🙏 #ArmorOfGod #SpiritualWarfare #Ephesians6 #StandFirm #RiseInGrace