OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY 04/07/2013 - STILL A POTENTIAL CHAMPION BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

STILL A POTENTIAL CHAMPION?

MEMORY VERSE

... and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

Ecclesiastes 11:3b

READ

Proverbs 6:9-11

Pro 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Pro 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

Pro 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

MESSAGE

There are three categories of champions: potential champions (champions to be), reigning champions (existing champions), and ex-champions (those who were once champions). Of the first category, virtually everyone was born into this world with the potential of becoming a champion. But as you would expect, it is one thing to have the potential to be something, but it is an entirely different ball game to run with the vision and actualise this potential. Every man is a potential father but not all men become fathers. This also applies to women. Not all women who had the potential of becoming a mother eventually became one. Every good potential in your life shall be pursued to its logical conclusion in Jesus name. In Bible times, Gehazi had the potential of having four times the anointing on Elijah, he could have become a super champion, but he bungled it.

In 1977, at a Congress we held at Ilorin (Nigeria), during the prayer time, I told the brethren that God told me that one day, The Redeemed Christian Church of God will be all over the world, and that it will take place very soon. They said amen. I was speaking as a potential champion then. Some among those who said amen left us. Also, in 1983, during our first Church Convention at the camp grounds, when we had about 15 or 16 buildings in all, we slaughtered a total of 10 cows during the Convention. I told them that someday, we will be using trailers to bring cows to our Conventions, and they said amen. In that particular year's Congress held at Ilorin, I travelled in the company of a brother we were ordained together as pastors on the same day. On our way, I prophesied that The Redeemed Christian Church of God will soon be all over that place. He said amen. Today, out of the five of potential champions ordained the same day with me; I am the only one still in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Of the five, I loved one so much. Whenever I travelled to his station of service, we would sleep on the same bed. As we lay on the bed, I share with him the future the Lord had shown me. Yet, as close as we were, he never caught the fire. It is possible to sleep by the fire and never be ignited. May you not die as a potential champion! May your potentials become a reality this season. What are you doing to bring your potentials into reality?

KEY POINT

A potential champion and a champion started from the same place but while the former did not do enough to bring his potential into reality, the latter went the extra mile.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Psalm 34 – 36