OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 14/05/2014 - SOARING BEYOND THE SKY BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SOARING BEYOND THE SKY

MEMORISE

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Ecclesiastes 11:6

READ

Genesis 26:8-15

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

MESSAGE

You need peace of mind to succeed in life, business and ministry. To enjoy peace of mind, you need to overcome heartache, worry and anxiety. Forget past failures, disappointment and discouragement which can result in soul sickness. Soul sickness is the bane of life. Soul sickness is caused by lust, or as someone describes it, the natural love to do evil. It has been argued that the difference between love and lust is this: love can always wait to give while lust can never wait to get. Human beings have physiological or body needs. We crave food, water, sleep, general activity and sex. Soul sickness occurs when these needs are not met and we begin to lust after them, and as a result, abuse our body. Human beings also have psychological needs. These are our desire for love and acceptance, desire to feel important, special and useful. When these desires are not met, or when they are replaced by lust, one beg

ins to have soul sickness. Soul sickness can be traced to unhealthy or wrong thoughts, unhealthy emotions (such as anger as a result of unattained goals), anxiety (resulting from pursuing foolish goals), and a sense of guilt which can be traced to unreached goals. Demonic influences are also responsible for soul sickness. Soul sickness is dangerous. It can result in rashness, misbehaviour, neurotic actions, poor performance, torment, compromise and unbelief. Other dangers include physical diseases, backsliding and death. The solution to soul sickness is genuine repentance. Repent of the past and turn a new leaf. Forget the past and begin to live according to the word of God.

Isaac did not allow the failures and opposition of the past to determine his action in the present. The land had experienced famine, his father’s wells had been stopped, yet he sowed in the land. However, it was after he had peace of mind from the guarantee that he will not be harmed on account of his wife that he sowed in Gerar. Sowing is a big secret of good success. You need to sow in order to succeed. Isaac sowed on a fertile land. To sow and be successful, you must know the land and ensure you are sowing on fertile grounds. Not all lands are fertile. Some are barren while some can be counterproductive. In whose ministry or life are you sowing your time, money and material resources? Be guided by the Holy Spirit on where to sow your seeds. Sow at the right time. Sow diligently. Sow prayerfully. Sow with expectation. Sow with persistence and faith. When you sow as expected, God will grant you a breakthrough. God’s blessings are the ultimate.

ACTION POINT

Allow yourself to be guided by the Holy Spirit on where and how to sow your seeds.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Genesis 29-30; Psalm 105:1-15