OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 21/07/2014 - CHANGE FOCUS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CHANGE FOCUS

MEMORISE

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:2

READ

Colossians 3:1-3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

MESSAGE

We learnt on July 14 that consecration and commitment are the springboard to experiencing higher levels of God in ministry. Beyond consecration and commitment, another criterion for accessing a higher level of God in ministry is a reformed, robust focus. If you retain your old focus and pursue your old goals, there is no way you can attain your desired heights. There must be a change in focus hence in Colossians 3:1, Paul says,

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

As you grow in Christ and move up in ministry, what you pursue must change. You must move your focus from earth to Heaven; you must stop looking down or sideways and start looking up. Many men of God never get to this level because as soon as they are endowed with certain gifts of the Spirit or some miraculous works are made manifest in their ministry, they will begin to calculate how they can use ‘what they have’ to ‘get what they need’, forgetting that it is God who supplies the needs of His servants. Sometimes you may think you need something whereas it is a want, consequently, God may not give it to you at that point in time. Some people in this type of situation will go all out, even to the extent of pulling every trick in the book just to get such things.

Anything you acquire that God has not given to you will surely bring you trouble. Stop chasing things!

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Matthew 6:33

God has His ways of blessing His people. If you set God before you like David, you will seek heavenly things. His desires would automatically be your desires and material things will follow you. God’s way of meeting your needs is that you seek Him, seek His kingdom and do everything possible to advance the good of His kingdom. Be consumed in the things of God. Be lost in pleasing Him. Invest your time on kingdom matters. Give towards the kingdom, pray earnestly and regularly about the kingdom and seek His will. Do these and see if you would be able to cope with the material wealth that would come your way. What is your focus today? Focus only on heavenly things!

KEY POINT

If you make God your focus, material things will make you their destination.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Deuteronomy 28;

Job 8:1-19