OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 30/11/2013 - WHEN TEMPTATION EXTENDS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHEN TEMPTATION EXTENDS

MEMORY VERSE

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

READ

Genesis 39:7-12

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Genesis 39:8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

Genesis 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Genesis 39:10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

Genesis 39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

Genesis 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

MESSAGE

It is possible to have victory over the devil in a particular area and the victory becomes a defeat down the line. For example, the victory God gave some people over barrenness has now become an idol. You can be sure that when you idolise the gift, you provoke the Giver to become jealous, and afterwards to become your enemy. Gideon's victory eventually made room for idolatry in Judges 8:22-27. Moreover, the devil did not hide his intention towards Samson: he knew Satan wanted to bring him down. I am often worried about people who talk too much and preachers are mostly guilty of this. This is one reason we ask pastors to preach only for a short time during training. Samson was confident in himself, he believed Delilah was an ordinary girl and as a result, she will not be able to get him. Today, you will be shocked to see the sins and temptations that are bringing mighty men and women down. Some have fallen because of persistent temptation like it happened to Joseph, only that God's grace sustained him (Genesis 39:7-10). When a particular temptation is persistent, it is because Satan wants to wear you out with his jabs, but you too can wear him out with your prayers (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

In Genesis 39:10, we read that Joseph was tempted everyday by Portiphar's wife but he did not succumb. Satan does not mind applying so much pressure on you continuously just to get you to sin. Beside intensive and continuous prayer, when you are in a situation of persistent temptation, it is important to take your flight like Joseph. Many people who fell into temptation started by overcoming them; but when the devil kept at it, gradually, they began to dialogue with him until they felt pressed to yield. When a temptation is becoming too persistent, separate yourself from the source of the temptation. You can also confide in your prayer partner to join you in praying about it. You can also see your pastor for counselling. At such times, avoid being alone and keep good company. The Lord will give you total victory.

KEY POINT

When a temptation is persistent, know that Heaven and earth are watching to see what you will do

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 29/11/2013 - HE HEARS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HE HEARS

MEMORY VERSE

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

Psalm 94:9

READ

Psalm 94:7-11

Psalm 94:7 Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Psalm 94:8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

Psalm 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

Psalm 94:10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

Psalm 94:11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

MESSAGE

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not only sees, but He also hears. In Exodus 3:7, He said He has both seen the affliction of His children and heard their cry. God hears both audible and inaudible words. Psalm 94:9 says,

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

I often wondered how big God's ears would be for Him to hear everyone calling on Him from the four corners of the world. Psalm 50:15 says,

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

God is ready to hear your cry. Call upon Him today! Psalm 34:6 says He is ready to hear the cry of the poor. Are you in need or in danger? Cry to the Lord and He will hear you. According to Isaiah 59:1-2, the only thing that can make Him not to hear you is sin.

In addition, God knows the sorrow of His children because He is a God of knowledge. Those who are known to governors and presidents are seen as VIPs. Your governor or president may not know you, but because God knows you, that makes you a super VIP. In Jeremiah 1:4-5, He says ever before you were formed God knew you. If God knows everything about you even before you were born, it means you are not in this world by mistake. It does not matter what the enemy may try, God has already concluded what you will become. He knows every detail about you and your situation; hence you do not need to be afraid of man's judgment. Many times, we are so worried about what people think about us that we become careless about how God feels about us. Sometime ago, I visited America and a pastor told his children that I was going to visit their house. The younger son objected and the dad asked why. He said if I come to their house, I would discover all the evil deeds he had done and disclose it to his father. When I finally met him, I told him I am not God, and that God tells me certain things once in a while. God knows you through and through, why hide from Him? He will hear your cry as you call upon Him today.

KEY POINT

God hears the cry of His people, whatever you are going through, cry unto Him today

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 28/11/2013 - GROWING BY THE SPIRIT BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GROWING BY THE SPIRIT

MEMORY VERSE

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:41

READ

Acts 4:1-4

Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

Acts 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

Acts 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

Acts 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

MESSAGE

To enjoy rapid growth, the church needs the supernatural. Doing evangelism without the assistance of the supernatural will entail a lot of struggling. Sometimes, it is not as if we do not want to evangelize; we want to but have tried and perhaps failed. When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I desired the growth of the church so much that I tried every legitimate strategy I could to achieve that goal. I attended several church growth seminars including going twice to Korea because I heard that David Yongi Cho's church was experiencing exponential growth. I also invited local and international speakers to our church. When such great men of God came, the crowd would come, but as soon as they left, the people would also disappear. While crying to God one day, He told me to stop running here and there. He asked me to run to Him and ask for the supernatural, because without it most people will not believe. As we obeyed, the Lord began to show forth His signs and wonders and within a short while, we realized how easily the Holy Ghost could multiply anything including the crowd.

The One who performed the miracle in 2 Kings 4:1-7 is still on the throne. Do you know that for three and a half years Peter could not catch a fish, but when the Holy Spirit descended on him, with one sermon he won 3000 souls? That would take some people between 300 and 3000 sermons to achieve. The Holy Spirit is the one who grows the church. When He is present in your life, He can give your messages greater mileage. A single sentence or word that is backed up by the anointing of the Holy Spirit can achieve a lot more than hours of sermons. The mass media is a platform for communication as much as word of mouth is. But if you use the mass media to disseminate information, you will be able to reach a wider audience more easily and quicker than if you were to speak one on one to people. In the same way, the fellow who is full of the Holy Spirit operates on a higher platform than the one who is not. To grow your church, house fellowship or group, do you rely on the Holy Spirit?

KEY POINT

You cannot truly grow the church of God except by the Spirit of God. Ask for a greater outpouring of God's Spirit upon His church worldwide.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 27/11/2013 - WHO NEEDS DELIVERANCE? BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHO NEEDS DELIVERANCE?

MEMORY VERSE

He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18:19

READ

Exodus 3:7-8

Exodus 3:7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Exodus 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

MESSAGE

Deliverance is being rescued in a battle from the one who is stronger than us.

Job 5:19 says,

He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

When you are faced with a battle in which you cannot match the strength of your enemy, then you need deliverance. When Jacob heard that his elder brother Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men in Genesis 32, he made time to tarry on God for deliverance. He knew he was between life and death. He feared that at last, nemesis was catching up with him. He prayed and what could have become a blood bath became a peaceful family meeting. Are you facing great danger or even the retribution for your past evil deeds? Call for God's intervention of mercy and deliverance today.

In addition, the one who sees trouble ahead and knows the enemy is already advancing towards him but lacks the weapons for war, needs deliverance. The children of Israel faced such scenario and God had to come down to deliver them (Exodus 3:7-8). Until you get to a land flowing with milk and honey, you need deliverance. Why? Poverty is a demon. If you have to bother your head so much before accessing what to glorify God with, you need deliverance. I once asked a pastor what was happening in the church he started five years ago. He told me God is helping them and that they were about 50. I told him he needs deliverance. He said he thought I had said pastors do not need deliverance. So I replied that I had said that I do not believe pastors can be demon possessed. If you have been working for 20 years and cannot afford to buy a piece of land, you need deliverance. If your labour is wasted and there is nothing to show for it like the Israelites in Egypt, you need deliverance. If your father is the owner of Heaven and earth and you beg before you eat, struggle to pay house rent, children's school fees etc. something is wrong somewhere. God did not create you to die in poverty! Ask for His deliverance today. You shall receive what is rightfully yours.

PRAYER POINT

Father, in any way I need deliverance, please, deliver me today.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY- 26/11/2013 - THE NATURE OF OUR RACE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE NATURE OF OUR RACE

MEMORY VERSE

 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Romans 8:25

READ

Romans 8:24-25

Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

MESSAGE

To win a race as an athlete, you have to understand the nature of the race. Know that we were set on a marathon the day we were saved. Every race has its guiding rules. If you run a marathon the way you ought to run a 100 metres dash or relay race, you will definitely lose steam long before the finishing line. You need patience in this race. Hebrews 12:1 says,

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Since our calling into this race is a calling into a long haul, God in His infinite mercy has designed that everything we need for the journey is made available and spread out at strategic spots along the journey. This is why for example He does not expect you to know the whole Bible in a day, week or year. As you take time to be with Him, He will guide you and give you revelations progressively. To this end, Paul says we know in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). We cannot know everything in one day. And Isaiah 28:10 says,

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Some people are too much in a hurry in their relationship with God. As far as they are concerned, God is too slow for their liking. They want everything now. In their haste, they want to change their marathon into a short dash. Of course you know this is not possible since God is the One who set up the race. Find out, such people start with so much zeal, fire and heat. They want everything now. As long as God is doing their bidding by giving them everything immediately, there will be no problem; but the day God says, Take it easy, son: your time is not my time, they will begin to wonder how slow God is. If God wanted a dash, most believers would have lived for maximum of one year after they were saved. But beloved, it is not a dash! This is why you must cultivate the virtue of patience. You must learn to have what you want in His time and not yours. Are you disappointed at God's timing? Sorry about that: it is occasioned by the nature of the race we are called to run.

KEY POINT

You can never know more than the One who designed the race and called you on board.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY- 25/11/2013 - WHAT CHOICES BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHAT CHOICES?

MEMORY VERSE

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Psalm 15:4

READ

Joshua 24:14-20

Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

Joshua 24:17 For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

Joshua 24:18 And the Lord  drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

Joshua 24:20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

MESSAGE

During the course of life, a time comes when you must decide who to serve. It is a time of choice. At such times you have to decide for yourself who would be your God. Have you faced such scenario? What was your choice? In Joshua 24:15, the children of Israel stood face to face with that decision. The midwives of Exodus 1:15-21 equally faced such challenge to obey God or the king, and they chose the former. No wonder it is on record that they feared God. Your decisions in life indicate how much fear of God you have. Every divine midwife must be able to take the right decision even when it hurts. In Psalm 15:1-5, among the qualities listed that are required to enter God's holy hill, is the ability to swear to one's hurt without looking back. Can you take a decision to serve God and stand by it without looking back? The midwives refused to obey their king for fear of the highest King.

When it comes to the most crucial areas of your life, may you never make the wrong choice. Many times, we allow the choices of others to influence ours to a great extent: we want to do something only when our spouse or friends agrees to do the same. To be born-again is a very personal and crucial decision. Certain sacrificial decisions are equally personal. Take for instance, when God instructed Abraham to go and sacrifice Isaac, if he had told Sarah, would she have allowed him? He simply kept it from her because he wanted to obey. Today, some believers receive 'hard' instructions from the Lord, and because they do not want to obey, they share it with their spouse whom they know would disagree; and finally they tell God that the reason they disobeyed was because they could not agree with their spouse. Remember God knows every secret thought of the heart. Why do you keep looking for excuses not to do what should be done? A divine midwife will always look up to God and obey God's instructions in spite of contrary circumstances. What are your choices in life? Have you chosen to serve God, to follow the way of holiness and adopt a life of prayer as well as of the study of His word?

KEY POINT

While the Hebrew midwives manufactured excuses for obeying God, those who claim to love and serve God today are giving reasons for disobeying God.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY- 24/11/2013 - WATCH THAT OLD PROPHET! BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WATCH THAT OLD PROPHET!

MEMORY VERSE

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Isaiah 8:20

READ

1 Kings 13:11-22

1 Kings 13:11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

1 Kings 13:12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

1 Kings 13:13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

1 Kings 13:14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

1 Kings 13:15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

1 Kings 13:16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:

1 Kings 13:17 For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

1 Kings 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

1 Kings 13:19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

1 Kings 13:20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back:

1 Kings 13:21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the  Lord thy God commanded thee,

1 Kings 13:22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.

MESSAGE

When the young prophet on a divine assignment to Bethel rested on his way back home, contrary to divine instructions, a number of things happened (1 King 13:1-31). First, the devil caught up with him. Whenever you are on the path of absolute obedience, you are ahead of your enemies. It is difficult for the enemies to catch up with such a fellow. It will require a lot more effort, time and other resources to catch up with such an individual. But if you are in disobedience, it is either you are at par with your enemies, or they are ahead of you and you are the one striving hard to catch up with them. Secondly, the obedience of the prophet in all other areas was nullified and he became known as the disobedient prophet. This tells us once again that one act of disobedience is capable of rubbishing several acts of obedience. Never mix obedience with disobedience! If you say you are an obedient child of God, obey Him all the way. It is only when your obedience is fulfilled that you can revenge all acts of disobedience in your life. If you are disobedient to God, why will the earth not disobey you? Thirdly, instead of being rewarded for the area you obeyed, you will be punished for the area you disobeyed. It is a terrible thing to rest before you reach your goal!

When you are on fire for God, be extremely careful. There are those who would wish you were not as successful. Some people will envy you and do all they can to bring you to their level. Watch out for the old prophets! This young prophet never knew that he was a subject of envy by the older prophet who had lost his fire, zeal and commitment. Some of such leaders might have backslidden and may now be serving their own masters other than God. The older prophet lied that God sent an angel to void the original instruction he was given. Do not accept just any prophecy from any one, or anywhere. Test them and compare such prophecies with the word. False prophets abound with a mission of deceit and destruction. Lastly, learn that the fellow who lures you into sin may survive it and still have an opportunity to repent while you may not. Do not yield to compromise!

KEY POINT

Ignoring an event that is bound to happen is the height of foolishness

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY- 23/11/2013 - GIDEON'S DEFEAT BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GIDEON'S DEFEAT

MEMORY VERSE

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Ephesians 5:5

READ

Judges 8:22-27

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.

And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.'

MESSAGE

Satan is a boxer and one way he hits his opponents is by giving them the jab. A jab is thrusting your fist at your opponent. If you can hit him in the belly, he will bend and then you can take off his head. Satan follows this pattern repeatedly. The jab he gave to Elijah in 1 Kings 19:3-4 was discouragement. On Mount Carmel, he succeeded in defeating and eliminating all the 450 prophets of Baal and in turning the Israelites back to God. Then Jezebel sent a message to him that by the following day, he would be dead. He became discouraged and afraid and took to his heels.

Discouragement may come from any angle, even from top leaders in the body of Christ. Many years ago, while I was much younger, my General Superintendent called me and said that he was impressed by how I organised the congress and as a result, he was handing over to me the organisation of the church convention. So I mobilised the youths and we had a successful convention. Then something happened that got me discouraged even from my spiritual leader. He got a report from a fellow, believed the report and passed his judgment without even investigating. As I was driving home, I got to St. Agnes (Lagos, Nigeria) and the police stopped my car. I was busy making up my mind not to continue. Thank God He spoke to me. He asked me, “Even though you are disappointed, have I ever disappointed you? I answered in the negative and resolved to continue.

God used Gideon to deliver His children and in Judges 8:22-27, they came with one voice to ask him to be their king. He refused. Thereafter the devil decided to try something else by provoking him to ask them to bring him some gold with which he would make an image like God. The devil rejoiced at this and said he had got him finally. The image Gideon made soon became an idol. Be very careful lest you are tempted to idolise your victory! This is why victory must be celebrated within the bounds of humility. If success is not well managed, it will become a snare to the successful. How are you managing your victory? You can defeat the devil but if care is not taken, he will turn your victory into an idol.

KEY POINT

Be careful that an object or subject of victory is not transformed into an idol

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY- 22/11/2013 - GOD OF KNOWLEDGE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD OF KNOWLEDGE

MEMORY VERSE

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

1 Samuel 2:3

READ

1 Samuel 2:2-3

1 Samuel 2:2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

MESSAGE

 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Exodus 3:6

In the scripture quoted above, God introduced Himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is one of His titles and you can be sure that none of His names or titles is just for fun. The first thing to note about God here is that God is not a talkative. He speaks once in a while but in Exodus 3, He introduced Himself three times. Somebody once said if God speaks two times, it is grace, when He speaks three times, it is amazing grace. While God was introducing Himself to the vessel he would use, the children of Israel were going through the worst suffering, slavery and denial in Egypt even though they prayed. This shows that if you have been praying but have not seen the answer coming, do not be discouraged because He is preparing an answer for you.

Who is this God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? He is a saviour and he sees. He is not blind like some gods. Psalm 94:9 asks: Will the one who formed the eyes not see? He does not only see but He also reacts to what he sees. He saw the Israelites crying to Him in distress and He got them a saviour. Long before the manifestation of danger, God would have seen it and taken steps to prevent it from harming you. He sees and knows all you do and as a result, there is no hiding place from Him. Psalm 139:7-12 says you cannot hide from God. You may hide certain things from your leaders but not from God. A pastor of a certain Gospel church took interest in a member of the choir and took her to a far away location to avoid prying eyes. When they got to the hotel, they carefully looked around to be sure there was nobody who knows either of them. They were about to fulfil their carnal desires when suddenly the sister had a conviction and said, 'We forgot to look up. I think He is looking at us'. With that realisation, they called it quits. There is no secret before God. There is no hiding place. Whatever is hidden will one day be made public. Keep away from sin, particularly secret sins. He sees you.

PRAYER POINT

Ask for God's peace to reign in every crisis zone of the world.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY- 21/11/2013 - DON'T BE SATAN'S FOOTBALL BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DON'T BE SATAN'S FOOTBALL

MEMORY VERSE

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:19

READ

2 Kings 6:1-7

2 Kings 6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2 Kings 6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

2 Kings 6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

2 Kings 6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

2 Kings 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

2 Kings 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

2 Kings 6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

MESSAGE

The word supernatural is a combination of two words superior and natural. The supernatural is something superior to the natural, which can compel the natural to obey it. The supernatural can cause things to happen contrary to the laws of nature. While the natural sees dry bones as dead and dry, the supernatural on the other hand can make dry bones to live and reverse the irreversible. It is my prayer for you that from today, the supernatural by the Holy Spirit will prevail over every situation you find yourself. In 2 Kings 6:1-7, when the borrowed axe head fell into the river, the man of God took a piece of wood and threw it into the river. On contact with the anointing on the man of God, the wood sank and what was meant to be at the bottom of the river came to the surface and began to float. In the name of Jesus, all impossibility in your life will contact the power of God and they will become possibilities.

Why does the church need the supernatural? It is needful because the average human being loves something supernatural, which can either be from God or Satan. We know that we are more than just flesh and blood. Every man or woman comprises spirit, soul and body and the spirit inside everyone longs for the supernatural. Unfortunately, those who are yet to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour end up falling into Satan's net by joining the occult and practicing witchcraft. Some do so for prosperity, security, healing, good luck, etc. However, they do not know that, they have consequently given the devil a foothold over their lives. Spiritual forces control the physical and this is why people want to be players in the realm of the supernatural. Know this: the divine supernatural far supersedes the negative satanic supernatural. In your life, do you see the operations of the supernatural? Is it positive or negative? Your quest should be to have the positive supernatural and not the negative one which can put you in bondage and turn you into Satan's football.

KEY POINT

The world is waiting for your manifestation according to Rom. 8:19. When will you manifest God's power and glory?

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY- 20/11/2013 - DELIVERANCE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DELIVERANCE

MEMORY VERSE

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

Psalm 18:17

READ

Psalm 18:16-18

Psalm 18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

Psalm 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

Psalm 18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

MESSAGE

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36

Within Christian circles, people often see deliverance only as casting out demons from someone. This is true for unbelievers but when you talk of believers in Christ, it is impossible for Jesus to be sharing His throne in the hearts of a believer with the devil. He is the light and in Him is no iota of darkness. John 1:5 says when light comes, it cannot be overpowered by darkness. It is my strong belief that when Christ come into the life of a sinner, at the point of salvation, His light shines in and repels all forms of darkness, except if the salvation is not genuine. However, looking at the example of King Saul, we know that it is possible for someone who used to be a born-again Christian to backslide and end up being possessed of demons. When the Spirit of God left Saul, an evil spirit took over him. That could happen because the spirit of God had stepped out.

For a believer what is deliverance? It is rescuing someone from the battle that he or she cannot win without being assisted. You need deliverance if you are fighting a battle that is beyond you in many respects. Psalm 18:17 says,

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

When enemies you can easily handle face you, God will fold His hands and ask you to deal with them while He watches. If a mountain stands in your way, He will ask you to command it to move. But when you are suddenly surrounded by enemies that are too strong for you, He will send deliverance. This was what happened when they threw Daniel into the den of hungry lions. God knew that battle was way beyond the physical ability of Daniel, so he sent His angel to rescue him from the lions. Are you fighting enemies that are stronger than you in power, wisdom, might? The Lord will arise on your behalf and bring you deliverance today. He will hit the enemy at his weakest point and deliver him into your hands.

PRAYER POINT

Father, in all the battles that are greater than me, deliver me today.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY- 19/11/2013 - THE HEAVENLY RACE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE HEAVENLY RACE

MEMORY VERSE

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

1 Corinthians 9:24

READ

Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Matthew 2:2 Saying, where is the King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

Matthew 2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

Matthew 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared

Matthew 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Matthew 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

MESSAGE

Some wise men saw the star that announced the birth of an extraordinary king and they began to follow it. That journey took them about two years. In the process of tracing the star, they entered Jerusalem and went straight to the king, introducing themselves and their purpose for coming into his domain. In those days, such wise men were highly regarded by kings. The king never knew of such a child and so he sent spies after them who secretly tailed them as they continued their search, having seen the star again. They eventually arrived at the location where the star finally stood and there they saw the child the awesome Creator of the universe. How glad they were, they then did only what very few people ever do. They fell on their faces and worshipped Him and gave Him gifts. That was wisdom. Many of us have learned to give gifts to our pastors and churches but are yet to learn to give gifts to God. When last did you give God a gift? Yet, you keep asking Him to give you gifts.

Like the wise men, every race starts at some point. For the wise men, the race started when they saw the star but for the rest of us, it starts the day we surrendered our lives to Jesus. This race is not a 100 metres dash but a marathon - a long distance run- a race that will be run for a life time with its finishing line in Heaven. Back in 1973 when I got born-again, I thought the Lord would come before 1974. When Paul wrote about the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52, he was much younger then and he thought he would be alive to partake of the rapture, but he went to glory by the medium of death. This race can last longer than you think and would require rugged determination to make it to Heaven. The wise men were determined when they left home or else, they could have returned before they reached their goal. Beloved, it is great to start the race but the reward comes from finishing strong. The race you have started on earth the day you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, may you finish it in Heaven. May you never give up on the Lord until you see Him face to face on that glorious day.

PRAYER POINT

In the marathon from earth to Heaven, Father, don't let me tire before reaching the terminal point.