OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 07/04/2014 - THE QUALIFIED BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE QUALIFIED

MEMORISE

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

2 Corinthians 3:5

READ

Philippians 3:5-9

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

MESSAGE

Any genuine child of God would want to be used by God for great things. God’s decision to use a person, or how far He would go in using an individual, rests on several factors, of which self-inadequacy is prominent. We need to realise straightaway that there is no adequacy anywhere apart from God. Many passages of scripture attest to this. He is the one that owns power (Psalm 62:11), and power according to scientists is the ability to do work. This has to do with adequacy. What about wisdom? He is the Source and the Giver (Colossians 2:2-3, James 1:5). How about strength? Isaiah 40:29-31 says that He gives strength and might. In light of these therefore, no man ought to think of himself as adequate. Whether it is knowledge, strength, power, wisdom, connections etc, none of these can qualify a person as adequate before God for divine choice. As a matter of fact, relying on your natural abilities before God amounts to pride.

When God called Moses to go for Him to set the Israelites free from the bondage of Egypt, the reply Moses gave was: “Who am I?” This shows a sense of inadequacy. He was saying: “Are you sure you are not picking the wrong person?” Beloved, until a man empties himself of all that he is, God cannot use him. Only empty vessels can be filled (2 Kings 4:3-4). Many of God’s people are still full of themselves or of something else apart from God’s resources. This is why God is not using them optimally. You need to take a look at yourself; maybe you are also still full of yourself. Maybe you think you can get the job done by your education, oratory prowess, human connections, charisma etc. This is not the way of God. God in reply said to Moses, “Moses you are right, you are forgotten at the backside of the desert, you are nothing, but that is why I AM picking you”. Beloved, if you go through scripture, you will discover that those used of God were those who either were nothing or those who reduced themselves to nothing. If at any time He picked anyone who seemed to be “something”, such persons had to empty themselves of what they were - Saul of Tarsus for instance (Philippians 3:8). If you are chosen by God while you are nothing, all you need is His presence. His assurance to you is this: “My presence will be with you”. That is all you need.

PRAYER POINT

Father, I empty myself of all my pride and personal acclaim, fill me up and use me for your glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Daniel 1-2; 

Psalm 78:1-8