OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 31/12/2014 - IT PAYS TO LIVE HOLY II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

IT PAYS TO LIVE HOLY II

Memorise

For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

Zechariah 2:5

Read

Job 1:8-10

1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

MESSAGE

Everybody in this world wants to be secure. Witchcraft is prospering because people feel insecure and they are looking for security from any available source. The unfortunate thing is that, looking for security from the forces of darkness is looking for security from the very person who wants to destroy you. Those who are living a holy life have the protection of the Lord Almighty. This is because God has built a hedge around them. In Job 1:9-10, the Bible tells us that God had put a hedge around Job and his household. God put a hedge around Job because he served Him. Job got into the predicament that befell him because God wanted to prove a point to Satan. Around every holy child of God, there is an unseen wall. Satan cannot pass through this wall because it is made of fire. The Bible in Zechariah 2:5 says,

“For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.”

Satan knows that he is going to end up in the Lake of fire. He is therefore not very anxious to taste this fire yet, so when he sees anybody who is surrounded by this fire, he keeps his distance.

God has made so many promises to those that are holy. Psalm 91 contains classical examples of these promises. You cannot abide in the secret place of the Most High without being holy. Without being holy, God’s promises cannot be yours. The fire of the Almighty God is so hot that when it surrounds you, the fire of this world will make way for you to pass. We have a good example in Daniel 3:24-28, where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were put in the fiery furnace. Their experience confirms what the scripture says concerning the holy in Isaiah 43:2:

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

There is however one thing that can remove the security covering from you. This is sin. Whenever you sin, you create a barrier between you and God. It is therefore dangerous to sin, not even for once because you may not be able to recover from the devastating effect of the ensuing satanic attack in the course of your backsliding. I pray that your fire will not go out in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, whatever will take away your banner of protection over my life, withhold me from such from now on.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 27-28

Song of Solomon 8:8-14

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 29/12/2014 - BE STEADFAST IN FAITH - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

BE STEADFAST IN FAITH

Memorise

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Read

Revelation 3:7-11

3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

MESSAGE

Many Christians believe in their pastor and the doctrines of their Church. There is nothing wrong in this in as much as the pastor is living right and the doctrines are biblical. However, your faith and steadfastness must be built on Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of your faith who cannot disappoint you. A man will backslide with his pastor, if his faith anchors on the pastor and the pastor backslides. This is the reason why you must know Jesus Christ through and through. What you know concerning Jesus Christ will make you steadfast if you know Him adequately enough. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul wrote this:

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

Philippians 3:7-8

You may want to ask, what do I know concerning the Lord Jesus? I know that Jesus is alive. I am very sure of this. I have very many testimonies to prove this. I was always feeling ill and it was a monthly occurrence despite medications. I had taken more than two thousand injections without any respite. However, when I started calling on the Name of Jesus, I never fell ill again. For my wife and children, He is just the same. Illness has been completely removed from my home. He that you believe is alive should surely help you to overcome just about any problem and quickly too, if truly He is alive. If He is dead, surely He cannot even help Himself. An ordinary man cannot perform these miracles no matter how deep he has gone into occultism. Satan will cast you aside to face another person once he knows he cannot take you away from Jesus Christ. Just go on praising God if Satan brings illness to your child. This attitude will shock the devil and make him flee from you. He will see you as a mad man rejoicing in the midst of trouble. The world and its lusts would run from you if you can stand firm in your faith. The Bible in Galatians 5:1 says:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

May the Lord uphold you to the end in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, I cannot hold myself; I put my trust in your everlasting arm, please uphold me to the very end.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 22:22-24:21

Song of Solomon 6:10-7:10

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 28/12/2014 - PERFECT CHRISTIAN? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

PERFECT CHRISTIAN?

Memorise

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

Read

Job 1:5-8

1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

MESSAGE

When we compare two things and we say one is better than the other, it may not necessarily mean that either of the two is desirable. But when we say something is perfect, it means that it is good in itself and there is no evil complaint about it. It also means that it is so good that there is no need to improve on it. This is the definition of the perfect Christian. A perfect Christian is a Christian that is without blemish – a Christ-like individual indeed. There are different categories of Christians. There are those who have been saved but not sanctified. These ones easily get annoyed. They cannot be described as perfect Christians. Some Christians are saved and sanctified. These ones do not get annoyed. There was a time we were rehearsing a drama that was to be staged in our church. A part required that the actor should become very annoyed. Our main actor could not bring himself to be angry. We could not even get someone among us to teach him how to be angry. May you be sanctified to perfection in Jesus’ Name.

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

1 Peter 1:2

To become a perfect Christian, you must first and foremost be Holy Spirit filled. The Holy Spirit is indispensable in the life of any Christian. Without the Holy Spirit, it is not possible to have any of the dimensions of the fruit that the Holy Spirit causes a Christian to bear which makes a Christian perfect (Galatians 5:22-23). For one to be a perfect Christian, some things must manifest in the fellow’s life. First, all things have to be done according to how God Himself would do them. You must aspire to please God in all that you do. Before doing anything, no matter how trivial, first ask how you think God would do it. Knowing that God can only do things perfectly, you will see to it that it is perfectly done. Secondly, a perfect Christian will aspire to get to where God wants him to reach. He will never stop or rest until God’s purpose for his life is accomplished. Many Christians backslid because they had thought that their position was the highest spiritual height they could attain and as a result, they became contented and stopped striving higher. May the Lord bring you to perfection this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, make me as perfect as you want me to be in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 20:17-22:21

Song of Solomon 5:10-6:9

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 26/12/2014 - CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP

Memorise

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Hebrews 13:4

Read

Ephesians 4:14-15

4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

MESSAGE

It is one thing to choose the right partner in marriage; it is another thing to choose the right approach to courtship. A wrong approach to courtship, particularly Christian courtship, can have a negative impact on the right choice. Therefore, believers that are in courtship must be Christian through and through if they would eat the good of the land of marriage (Isaiah 1:19). An important lesson for ladies to learn is that, a man is at his best in courtship. He would call you by different pet names. He would tease you and make you feel secure. These are the normal sweet words you should hear in courtship. However, when the wedding ceremony is over, his hidden shortcomings will be exposed because he can no longer hide them. The saying that “love is blind” is true but marriage is the tool to open the eyes of the blind lover. You will discover the real personality of a man or woman after the wedding ceremony.

For courtship to be Christian in nature, the admonition in today’s Bible reading must be our watchword. Courtship between two children of God must not be handled childishly. It should be handled with maturity as expected of a serious relationship. There are many false doctrines flying around and children of God must beware of them. For example, some people believe that once you are in courtship, you can begin to co-habit, doing all sorts of ungodly things together. They call it “trial marriage”. This has no place in Christianity. It is whore-mongering. More often than not, after these so-called brothers have had their fill of the so-called sisters, they dump the sisters for those they regard as “reserved and self-disciplined”. In the same vein, there are terrible wolves in sheep’s clothing among some so-called sisters too. They try to make unsuspecting naïve brothers get them pregnant and the result is what we call shot-gun marriage. This is a marriage not properly prepared for. Christian courtship must be characterised with sincere gestures. It involves sharing past and present experiences with your would-be wife or husband. It should look beyond the present to future aspirations. You should lay your future bare in the hands of Jesus Christ. Though there may be sincere disagreements during courtship, these are not strong enough reasons to break the courtship. However, if a courtship is full of troubles that you are almost getting suffocated with sinful or legalistic demands of your partner, you need to have a rethink of the relationship. This situation calls for fresh prayer. You may have made a mistake in the first place.

Prayer Point

Father, please guide our youths during Christian courtship; let such relationships culminate in holy wedlock and a glorious marriage.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 16:16-18:17

Song of Solomon 4:9-5:1

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 25/12/2014 - RIGHT CHOICE IN MARRIAGE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

RIGHT CHOICE IN MARRIAGE

Memorise

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:14

Read

1 Kings 11:1-4

11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

MESSAGE

Apart from the choice of who to serve, choosing who to marry is another fundamental choice that affects the destiny of an individual. A wrong choice in marriage can negatively affect the choice to serve God. Solomon chose to marry many strange women and they influenced him to forsake God and serve their idols. Solomon’s earlier decision to serve the Almighty God was badly affected by his marriages. A marriage partner can take Heaven away from the dreams of his or her spouse and replace it with Hell. Depending on who you choose to marry, your relationship with God will either continue to improve or it will stop all together. Solomon did not want to forget God who had done so much for him, but his marriage made him to err. It is vital to look at the factors that influence the choices we often make. There are always negative and positive factors guiding the choices we make. Whichever you allow to guide you will determine the kind of choice you will make. Many people made costly mistakes in the Bible either because they ignorantly made a choice or because they relied entirely on their knowledge without recourse to God’s guidance. Making a good choice therefore goes beyond human knowledge. No matter how much you know, depending on God in making a choice is a sign of meekness and humility. It is however unfortunate that many young folks today don’t believe that God still chooses the right marriage partner for His obedient children. The Bible in Psalm 25:9 says:

“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”

God guides the meek in judgment. Judgment in this context means decision, choice or preference.

You need basic knowledge in the areas where you have to make a choice. Nevertheless, after acquiring the requisite knowledge, you still need to depend on God. Lot chose a piece of land that he knew would be good for agriculture and he chose to relocate there. His knowledge was perfect, but it was limited because he did not know what the future held for that land. God later destroyed that land in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 13:9-12). There is nothing wrong in making a choice, but Lot’s mistake was that he did not seek God’s guidance in making his choice. Relying solely on what you know in making a choice can cost you your whole life and mar your eternal peace. As a youth, do you know enough about marriage before you dabble into it? Do not choose by sight; having the relevant knowledge and God’s guidance are key to making the best choice.

Prayer Point

Father, please guide all our youths as they embark on choosing marriage partners.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 14:1-16:15

Song of Solomon 4:1-8

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 24/12/2014 - RIGHT CHOICE? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

RIGHT CHOICE?

Memorise

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Deuteronomy 30:19

Read

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

MESSAGE

There comes a time in the life of everyone that a choice has to be made between two alternatives. Choice means deciding between possibilities. It means accepting an option while rejecting another. For every choice made, there is always an alternative forgone. This is why it is important to make the right choice in life. It is unfortunate that some so-called Christians don’t have an alternative forgone. They want to have their cake and eat it at the same time. They want to be in Christ and at the same time be in the world. 1 John 2:15-17 means nothing to them. As long as you are alive, you will be confronted with making choices. It might be the choice of a career, the business to run, the partner to marry, a call to fulfil, the location to dwell in or the God to serve.

“And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.”

Jeremiah 21:8

One of the most critical choices to make in life is the choice between death and life. You need to take responsibility for your life by making choices that will make you live. This includes choosing whom to serve. This is the greatest choice to make in life. This choice determines the kind of life you will live on earth and where you will spend eternity. Choosing to serve God is the greatest decision because the consequence goes beyond this world. Jesus made it clear that His servants would be with Him in glory. Being a follower of a hero is not as important as knowing the end of the hero. Jesus in John 12:26 said:

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

Moses called heaven and earth to witness, when he asked the children of Israel to choose between the gods of the heathen and the God of their fathers, and by implication between the life-giving God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the dead gods of the nations around them (Deuteronomy 30:15-18). Who is your master, Jesus or Satan? Jesus made it clear that after death, no one can switch over to the destination of a master he or she did not serve while here on earth. In other words, the devil cannot claim sincere followers of Jesus Christ, just as the followers of the devil cannot spend eternity with Jesus except they repent before their death. Therefore, choose whom you will serve today – Jesus or Satan? I encourage you to choose Jesus, the Giver of life.

Action Point

Decide to serve God through Jesus today because He is The Way, The Truth and The Life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 12:6-13:52

Song of Solomon 3

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 23/12/2014 - NO IMPOSSIBILITY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

NO IMPOSSIBILITY

Memorise

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37

Read

2 Kings 2:9-10

2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

MESSAGE

Elijah told Elisha that he had asked a hard thing, after the latter requested for a double portion of his anointing. This tells us that even for a great prophet of God, there were things considered hard and difficult. However, in Matthew 19:26, we are told that all things are possible with God. The track record of God’s almightiness shows that truly nothing can be difficult for Him. All we need to do is to leave everything in His hands. He is capable of doing what no earthly president or emperor can do because the Psalmist says that power belongs to God (Psalm 62:11). Even when a man promises to do something for you, what he can do is limited to the extent his strength can carry him, whereas God has unlimited power and resources. Also, the influence of a man determines what he can do to influence your situation positively. The Almighty God is the Most Influential. In 2 Kings 4:8-17, we read about a rich woman who took care of Elisha and his servant. When Elisha wanted to say “thank you” for her hospitality, the woman said she needed nothing because, not only was she influential, she also had influential relatives. But her influence could not remove her barrenness. The prophet who served the Most Influential God, pleaded with the Almighty and she had a baby boy.

After Elisha requested a “hard thing” from Elijah in 2 Kings 2:10, Elijah told him that:

“..........if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

The lesson here is that we must have focus. In other words, if you look up, you will receive help from heaven (Psalm 121:1-2). Paul in Ephesians 1:19-21, told us that God’s power is exceedingly great towards us, it is far above all principalities, and powers and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. This is what you need to look up to. You are likely to see problems if you look down. If you focus on your problems and raging challenges, you are likely to sink like Peter in Matthew 14:26-31. If you look around, you are likely to see other people with similar problems to yours and become complacent in seeking solution to your problem. In life, you are likely to become what you focus your attention on. When I attended Kenneth Hagin’s Camp meeting many years ago, what I saw encouraged me to work towards having a large congregation of saved and Heaven-bound believers. My aspiration became bigger when I visited Yonggi Cho’s church in South Korea shortly after my experience at Kenneth Hagin’s Camp meeting. Remember, there is no impossibility with God.

Action Point

Focus on God and what He is capable of doing for you. Ask for a hard thing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 10:1-12:5

Song of Solomon 2:8-17

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 22/12/2014 - DETECTING FALSE PROPHETS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DETECTING FALSE PROPHETS

Memorise

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:1

Read

1 John 4:1-4

4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

MESSAGE

There are different categories of prophets. We have genuine prophets and counterfeit prophets. You might have been deceived by a false prophet, but if you search very well, you will find a genuine one who will deliver the correct message of God to you. One thing is certain: God will always deal with false prophets at His own time and in His own way (Deuteronomy 18:20). God always confirms the words of His genuine prophets (1 Samuel 3:19). The apostles warned us in their epistles against listening to false prophets. Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2:1 warns that:

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

The children of God must be aware of the various ways by which prophecies come to people. Prophesies can originate from any of these sources: the Holy Spirit, the human spirit and the spirit of the devil. In 2 Chronicles 18:19-22, we read about a lying spirit which took possession of the mouth of self-made prophets of King Ahab. To counter the operations of false prophets in your environment, you must be armed with the truth of the word of God. One way of knowing false prophets is by weighing the content of their prophecies on the scale of the word of God. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ in Galatians 1:9 wrote that:

“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

For instance, it is a false prophet that would prophesy to a married woman that her real husband is yet to come. This is why children of God must be well-grounded in God’s word. A child of God that is well-grounded in God’s word, will know the scripture in Matthew 19:6 that says,

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

When a prophet prophesies to a born-again lady that an unbeliever is the man God has chosen for her, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 will reveal the falsehood of such prophetic utterance. It is equally important that a child of God possess the gift of discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10). May the Lord equip you with perfect knowledge of His word to be able to weigh every prophecy that comes your way in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, enlighten my eyes of understanding to decipher false prophets in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 6-7

Song of Solomon 1:1-10

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 20/12/2014 - THE FULLNESS OF TIME - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE FULLNESS OF TIME

Memorise

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Read

Acts 2:1-4

2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

MESSAGE

When the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Jesus Christ. This event makes it clear that our God is a God of times and seasons (Daniel 2:20-21). If you look at the life of Elizabeth - the mother of John the Baptist, you may be wondering: Why the delay of the fruit of the womb in the life of such a devoted daughter of Zion? The answer is found in the later event of the birth of John the Baptist, who Jesus Christ acknowledged as the greatest of all the prophets (Matthew 11:11). He was born by the same woman that was considered barren for many decades. When the fullness of time came, Elizabeth conceived and gave birth to the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:11-16). The Almighty God moves very fast whenever He wants to do something. When it seems God is slow in taking action, you can be sure that it is because His time has not fully come. God is not a slow worker at all. This is established from the creation story where in six days, God accomplished the creation of the entire universe (Genesis 1). There is a time in a man’s life when delay is not a good option. In 1 Samuel 17:51, we read of the fast move of God in David’s life. It would have been another story if David had delayed in separating the head of Goliath from his body after the stone from his sling had dazed Goliath to the ground. The Bible says:

“Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.“

One characteristic of the fullness of God’s time is its sudden arrival. The Bible says:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

Acts 2:1-2

It took God just one day to kick away famine from Samaria according to 2 Kings 7:1-18. Suddenly, food became surplus in the land after God moved into the situation of a people who had started killing their children for food. For someone using this devotional, you will receive sudden breakthroughs this season in Jesus’ Name. Your day of celebration shall fully come this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, please let my miracle come suddenly in a way that the enemy will not be able to do anything about it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 4-5

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAYY - 19/12/2014 - WHAT DO YOU WANT? II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHAT DO YOU WANT? II

Memorise

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Esther 5:3

Read

Proverbs 4:7-8

4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

MESSAGE

The awesomeness of wisdom is stated in the Bible reading of today. There are lots of lessons on wisdom we can learn from the experiences of Bible heroes and heroines like Solomon and Esther. One of such lessons is this: “There are things that money cannot buy, but wisdom can get you almost everything you need in life”. Money cannot buy you sleep even though you may have the money to buy a water bed. Money can buy you education but money cannot buy you wisdom. While it is wisdom to abstain from what can kill you, what do we see in our society today? We see a doctor who has acquired medical education indulging in chain-smoking. He has education but he is not wise enough to abstain from a potential killer – smoking. We have heard of lawyers, who in spite of their legal education are caught in criminal acts. They have legal education but are not wise enough to resist the temptation of criminality. Only God gives wisdom and to Him we must turn to for it. I pray for you today that the wisdom to ask for the right thing that will cause the fullness of your joy shall be given to you today in Jesus’ Name. King Solomon asked God for wisdom and he got it. He later testified to its indispensability in Proverbs 4:7:

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

When Solomon asked for wisdom and he was given, all other things followed. Where there is wisdom, there is wealth. It is interesting to note that in Solomon’s era, kings came to listen to his wisdom, and with every visit, they brought fortunes to bless and appreciate him (1 Kings 10:23-25). When Queen Esther was asked to make her request known to the king, she did not ask for peanuts like additional crowns, jewelleries, boxes of clothes etc; rather, Queen Esther asked for her life and the lives of all her people, which were in jeopardy. Where there is life, there is hope. Queen Esther knew this and went for it. What do you really want? It is a pity that some people do not know what they want or what is good for them. I advise you to ask for wisdom that comes from God today and the rest shall be added unto you (James 1:5). It takes wisdom to heed to correction, especially when it comes from the Holy word of God (Proverbs 9:8-12). It is wisdom to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; it is certain the rest shall be added unto you.

Prayer Point

Lord, give me godly wisdom to be able to pray aright. Give me wisdom to be able to live an acceptable life to your glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 1-3

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 18/12/2014 - WHAT DO YOU WANT? I - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHAT DO YOU WANT? I

Memorise

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Matthew 7:7

Read

2 Kings 2:9-10

2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

MESSAGE

You should never assume that because God knows all things, He should know what you want. Neither should you assume that since God knows what you need, He would not ask you the type of question Jesus asked blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:51. The reason God asks such questions may be connected to the fact that people’s hierarchy of needs differ one from another. What is one man’s priority may be of less importance to another. For example, while Elisha wanted a double portion of his master’s spirit, Gehazi his own servant wanted money. Also, Esau wanted food instead of the right of the firstborn. You will be surprised at the responses you will get when you ask people what they want. You may be expecting them to ask for things of eternal value but a lot of them ask for peanuts. The urgency of your need will determine the fervency of your asking. David was desperate in his need for God, therefore he said in Psalm 42:1:

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”

There was one thing David desired of the Lord in his life time, and this was to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life (Psalm 27:4). Your desire for a thing spurs you to ask the one you believe can give it to you. However, the price you are willing to pay for what you want, determines whether you are going to get what you desire. Paul desired to know Christ and so he regarded as nothing those things that should have been to his advantage. He suffered a great deal, even to the point of death so that he may gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-10).

God is asking you this day: “What do you want?” It is time to pray and tell God what you want. However, the time at which you want it also matters because some people may have decided to postpone their season of celebration to next year or two years from now. Some people are like Pharaoh who Moses asked when he would want the frogs harassing him and his people to stop and he said: “Tomorrow!” Why tomorrow, why not now (Exodus 8:9-10)? It may sound strange, but this is the attitude of some people when it comes to asking for what they want. They may know the right thing to ask, but then, when they want it may be the problem. When Elijah was to be translated, he asked his disciple - Elisha what he wanted. Elisha did not wink his eyes before he handed his request to his master – a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. He got it because he knew what he wanted, why he wanted it and when he wanted it. May the Lord grant you your request today in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, give me your best will today and cause my joy to be full in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Esther 8-10

Ecclesiastes 11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 17/12/2014 - REPAIR THE ALTAR - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

REPAIR THE ALTAR

Memorise

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1 John 2:1

Read

1 Kings 18:29-34

18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

18:34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

MESSAGE

When the Bible says that we are the temple of God in 1 Corinthians 6:19, it implies so many things with respect to the features of the temple. One of the features of the temple of God is the altar. The altar is very significant in worship, in the sense that it symbolises the throne of God. The altar is where God abides and does whatever pleases Him. It is the place where He issues out decrees and orders the events that must take place in the universe. It is therefore interesting to realise that we are living temples and carriers of the throne where God exhibits His majesty. No wonder the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 2:5 said:

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

In our Bible text, Elijah repaired the altar of God before offering sacrifice on it. There are a good number of lessons we can learn from this passage. For instance, there is the possibility of the altar of God being broken down. When a man, particularly a child of God sins, he or she breaks down the altar of God, since we are the temple of God. The fellow needs to repair the broken altar before he or she can make progress spiritually and physically. From the example of Elijah, you can see that it is possible for a broken altar to be repaired. Elijah repaired the broken altar before he offered his sacrifice on it. The result was answer to his prayers that came by fire. People of God must know that sin is alien to walking with God and so we must have zero-tolerance for sin. In case a child of God slips into sin, what should he or she do? The fellow must not stay in that fallen state and mourn his spiritual calamity. He or she must arise and repair the broken altar like Elijah did on behalf of the people of Israel. There are many altars in the life of a child of God that the devil may want to destroy. These include the altar of praise, the altar of prayer, the altar of faith, to mention just a few. By the time you finish repairing the altar, your insufficiency becomes history. When you repair the altar, your weakness becomes strength. As you repair the altar of your faith today, the impossible will become possible for you (Matthew 17:20). As you repair the broken altar of God in your life today, may the Lord turn your lack to abundance in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point

Take an inventory of your life and see where the altar of God has been broken down. Repair it by way of repentance, make restitution and cry to God for complete restoration.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Esther 4-7

Ecclesiastes 10:8-20

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 16/12/2014 - GATES & EVERLASTING DOORS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GATES & EVERLASTING DOORS

Memorise

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 18:18

Read

Psalm 24:7-10

24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

MESSAGE

When you work like an elephant and eat like an ant or you are sorrowful while others are rejoicing, it may be that you are under the influence of gates and everlasting doors. When you continue to meet brick walls in all directions you move, you may be under the influence of gates or everlasting doors. The good news for someone using this devotional is that God is going to lift the negative gates and everlasting doors that have been standing on your way to success today in Jesus’ Name. There are lessons to learn from today’s Bible passage. The first is that gates have heads, and whatever has a head must also have a body, and whatever has a head and a body is an entity. Secondly, these entities are unseen, which means that they are spiritual entities that cannot die. Therefore, it takes the power of the Most High to deal with them. I pray that every spiritual entity working against your progress shall be destroyed today in Jesus’ Name.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Ephesians 6:12

For us to deal with spiritual gates and everlasting doors, we need spiritual weapons. This is the reason why the Holy Spirit said that we should put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11). What are the components of the armour of God? The armour includes: truth, righteousness and the acceptance of the gospel of peace. This means that for evil gates and doors to shift ground for your good, you must be born-again by accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 3:5). Not only this, you must also live in truth and righteousness. Moreover, you must take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the word of God with prayer and supplication. The King of Glory will come into your life and the situation of gates and everlasting doors will disappear. There was a rich man who was plagued with negative gates. When we were called to assist him with prayers so that he might be delivered, we asked him to give his life to Christ but he refused. The gate and everlasting doors of Hell got rid of him. My prayer for you is that you will not be a victim but a victor in Jesus’ Name. For this to happen, today is the day of salvation for you if you are a sinner. If you are a backslidden believer, you must repent and return to your first love.

Prayer Point

Father, every evil gate and everlasting door blocking my way to breakthrough, destroy them completely today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Esther 1 - 3

Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 15/12/2014 - FEAR, NOT A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

FEAR, NOT A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE

Memorise

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Read

Psalm 91:5-6

91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

MESSAGE

You have nothing to fear if you have given your life to Jesus. Those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ can say with all boldness that we shall not be afraid. Today’s Bible reading says that: provided you surrender your life to the Almighty God and provided you are dwelling in His secret place, and provided you are abiding under His shadow, you have nothing to fear. Fear is from the devil. There was no fear until the devil crept in. When God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden, it was all bliss. But from the day the devil entered into the garden and convinced them to disobey God, fear came. After they had sinned, when they heard God coming, they ran and hid themselves. Fear is the exact opposite of faith. The moment you cross from the side of the devil to the side of God, there is no more fear for you. When you give your life to Christ, fear must go. Fear comes from darkness and Jesus Christ is light. When Jesus comes into your life, He gives you the spirit of love, of power, of joy and of a sound mind. This is why it is rare to find a true child of God living in fear. The Bible in Romans 8:14-15 says:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

Children of God have the Spirit of God. He assures us that we are the children of God. You can boldly say that you have not received the spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind if you have received the Spirit of God. Jesus Christ said you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost comes upon you. Since we have received power, we should not be afraid. I am a child of God. Fear belongs to the children of the devil and I am not a child of the devil. From time immemorial, God has always put a dividing line between the righteous and the wicked. He tries to reward each according to their works. He rewards the righteous so that they will love righteousness and so that the wicked will see the benefit of righteousness and turn from their wicked ways. The Bible in Psalm 121:7says this concerning the righteous:

“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.”

With such promises, the children of God have no cause to fear. I pray that whatever will overwhelm your faith and cause you to panic, the Lord will not allow such to happen to you in Jesus’ Name. Do not be afraid; God is your refuge and your present help in the time of need.

Action Point

Check your life, whatever you are doing that is causing you to panic, do away with it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Nehemiah 11:25-13:31

Ecclesiastes 9:7-12