OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 07/07/2014 - HUMBLE YOURSELF! BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HUMBLE YOURSELF!

MEMORISE

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

James 4:10

READ

Philippians 2:5-11

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MESSAGE

Often times, people who receive a call from God feel the call is to demote, humiliate or reduce them. Although this is not true, on the surface, it may look that way. In Philippians 2:5-11, when Jesus received a divine call, He had to descend from being God to becoming a man. He became a servant who was totally sold out to His Father’s will. In the school of disciples of the ministry I oversee, we learn that Jesus Christ took seven steps downwards before God raised Him seven steps upwards. As far as God is concerned, the way up first and foremost is the way down. If you want to go up, you must first be ready to go down. No matter how ‘high’ you are when you receive God’s call, if you are not prepared to go down, you are not yet ready for divine promotion.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

James 4:10

God expects you to humble yourself. It is not something somebody else will do for you. If you fail to do this, and if God truly loves you, He may have to do it for you. When He decides to do what you were meant to do, it may be tougher; so simply follow the easy way by doing it yourself. Beloved, humble yourself! Each time you humble yourself, you create space above you for God to fill. He does not need you to tell Him how to lift you up. He knows exactly what to do because He has already figured it out even before you were born. Just do your part. How? Give up your high looks and accept His opinion of you. Have a change of focus. Drop that bloated view of yourself and accept what He says you are. Stop seeing yourself as being better than your brother because of the comparative advantage your educational qualification or official position has given you over him. Be ready to accept any assignment. In fact, be prepared to take assignments that appear mean, belittling and ridiculous in comparison with what you think you are capable of. Esteem others better than yourself – that is, focus on the strengths of others and amplify them in your mind. Be ready to give up anything for Jesus.

ACTION POINT

Pick out five people that are not as privileged as you. Take time to study them, identify the virtues in them, meet them and commend them for those virtues

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 30-31

Psalm 149-150