OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 20/1/2015 – THE WORD AND THE BLOOD – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

The Word & the Blood

Memorise

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Revelation 12:11

Read

Hebrew 12:22-25

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

MESSAGE

There are two irresistible weapons available to the children of God in spiritual warfare. These are then Word [of God] and the Blood [of Jesus Christ]. The Word is so powerful that the entire universe was made by abnormality in your life under control, just as He did in Genesis 1. Death is the greatest problem that confronts mankind. The Bible in 1st Corinthians 15:56a reveals that the power of death lies in sin:

“The sting of death is sin;”

But praise God, the Blood of Jesus took care of sin once and for all. Revelation 1:5b says that:

“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sin in his own blood,”

Once the matter of sin is dealt with by the sinless Blood of Jesus Christ, the evil sting of death is rendered powerless.

As such, when a child of God is armed with the Word and with the Blood, victory if fully decided. The question then is: why are some children of God still living defeated lives? The problem is, for these two weapons of spiritual warfare to be effective for any child of God, certain conditions must be fulfilled. One of such conditions is that they must be ready to honour God’s Word, no matter the cost. At times, when some children of God are caught in heinous sins that should not even be heard of among moralists, they chorus, “it is the devil’s work.” Its as if John 10:10 has been erased from the Bibles. Because such Christians do not honour God’s Word by keeping it, the Word can’t work for them. When a so-called child of God continues to kiss women other than his wife and blatantly disregard God’s Word in 1st Thessalonians 5:22 that says,

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

The Word will not be effective for him in fighting against the likes of Delilah. Or is it the Blood of Jesus Christ, who some nail to the cross times without number as they rise and fall, that would avail for them? Notice that the Bible in the concluding part of Revelation 12:11 says that:

“….and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

For the Blood of Jesus to work for you, you are expected to resist sin to the point of, if necessary, shedding your own blood (Hebrews 12:4). I pray that the Word and the Blood will work for you at all times in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point

Determine to put the Word of God into proper application in your daily life, and plead the Blood of Jesus Christ against all negative situations of life for a pleasant turn around

Bible in one year

Isaiah 58:60,
Acts 11:19-12:5

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 20/1/2015 – THE WORD AND THE BLOOD – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 08/1/2015 - THE WONDER WORKING PRAYER - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE WONDER WORKING PRAYER

MEMORISE

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and she saw Peter, she sat up.

ACTS 9 : 40.

READ

MARK 9 : 20 – 29.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting

MESSAGE

The Bible in Philippians 4 : 6 enjoins us not to be anxious for anything, but rather to make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication sandwiched with thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is found in Philippians 4 : 7 :

” And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is the wonder of an effective Christian Prayer life.

Our Bible text reveals that prayer can work wonder beyond our widest imagination. It also reveals the inevitability of prayer in our lives. If Jesus could do nothing without prayer, then we should not think that an effective prayer life is optional in our Christian walk. When the apostles wondered why they could not cast out the demons in a demon-possessed boy, Jesus in Mark 9 : 29 simply told them that it was due to lack of prayer and fasting. James 4 : 2 reveals that many children of God are guilty of negligence in prayer. Some of them even become envious of those who take out time to pray to God concerning their needs. They fail to realise that it is prayer that can solve the problem of lack, and not envy. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, they are zealous in the work of God but fail to make their requests known to God. They end up becoming envious. The elder brother of the prodigal son even falsely accused his father of partiality. But the father replied that all that he had was his ( Luke 15 : 31 ). The problem with this son was that he would not ask.

After I was commissioned as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I travelled to my home town. On getting there, one of the request put forward to me was about the access road into the town; as at that time, the road was in a deplorable state. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor to undertake. So I looked up in prayer to the God who called me, just like the Psalmist did in Psalm 121 : 1 – 2 :

” I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

The Lord answered my simple prayer a few weeks after my visit. He moved the government to award a contract that got the road fixed.

KEY POINT

Ask and it shall be given; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

ISAIAH 23 – 26

ACTS 5 : 22 – 42.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 4/1/2015 - THE POWER TO BECOME - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE POWER TO BECOME

MEMORISE

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name

JOHN 1 : 12.

READ

1 SAMUEL 16 : 11 – 13.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this

is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose

up, and went to Ramah.

MESSAGE

In 1 Samuel 2 : 8, we read of what the Almighty God can make out of the life of an ordinary person. He gives the power to become. This power come to an individual by the spirit of God. When the power of the Holyspirit comes in contact with anordinary person, that fellows ceases to be ordinary and becomes extraordinary.

However, before the gift of the Holy spirit can come upon an individual, he or she must posses some qualities that will bring about such empowerment. Before Godcan Trust you with His power, He would have ascertained that you would make good use of it. God gives His Power for the purpose of expanding His Kingdom on

earth ( Acts 1 : 8 )

David was given the power to become a deliverance minister through the instrumentality of the anointing. What Spiritual work can anyone do without anointing? Absolute Nothing! Some people do not know the essence of the anointing; they think being ordained is just for the conferment of titles such as deacons, deaconess, pastor, bishop etc. No! The primary essence of being ordained is to impart the anointing that destroys yokes. Such yokes are first destroyed in the life of the anointed. The anointing equips a person for spiritual assignments that are primarily geared towards the destruction of the kingdom of the devil.

One of my sons describes the need for the anointing this way ” when an engineer does his engineering work in a secular organisations, he does not need the anointing. However, when that same engineer becomes engaged in the service of the church, he needs the anointing to succeed. This is so because the devil knows he now works to pull down his kingdom through the medium of the church.” An electronics engineer in the media department of a living church organisations or in a Christian media house definitely need the Holyspirit ‘s anointing to succeed in making the gospel heard either through the pulpit or on television screens. This is the reasons why every skilled worker of the church, including financial managers, need to be born again, sanctified and Holyspirit filled if they would not end up becoming like Judas Iscariot. This will make them obtain power to become unstoppable and indestructible vessels of honour in the household of faith.

ACTION POINT

Purge yourself of all sinful habits so that you may be prepared unto every good work as a vessel of honour ( 2 Timothy 2 : 21 )

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

ISAIAH 9 : 8 – 11 : 16

ACTS 3 .

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 2/1/2015 - BE FRUITFUL - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

BE FRUITFUL

Memory verse

Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. (ASV)

Deuteronomy 7:14. 

Bible Reading 

Genesis 1:26-28 

26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

27. And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

28. And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Message

When the Lord spoke to man in Genesis 1:28 to be faithful and to multiply, He was not giving a piece of advice. Rather, He was issuing a decree that must be established. Failure to bear fruit directly contradicts divine law or decree. I pray for someone using this devotional, that the Lord will cause you to experience all-round fruitfulness this year in Jesus’ Name. It is wonderful to note that God is not only interested in your spiritual fruitfulness but also in your physical and material fruitfulness. God is not happy when we do not live in divine prosperity, because it is His uttermost desire that His children live a daily life of fruitfulness and increase (Deuteronomy 7:14)

What other types of fruit is the Almighty God expecting from us? They type of fruit God expects depends on your spiritual level of maturity. For example, a person who has not given his life to Christ in the real sense of it needs to bear the fruit of repentance. The Bible says,

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Being forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”

Matthew 3:7-8

Moreover, for a user of this devotional who is already saved by grace, there are two categories of fruit you must endeavour to bear this year. These are: the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, longsuffering, gentleness, etc (Galatians 5:22-23), and the fruit of souls. It is very dangerous for a child of God not to be fruitful, because Jesus Christ said:

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

John 15:2

I pray that you will not be cut away from Christ because of fruitfulness in Jesus’ Name. One advantage of soul-winning is answered prayers (John 15:16). The Lord has spared your life up till now, hoping to see you bear fruit. My prayer is that God will not be disappointed in you this year again, and that He will answer your prayers speedily in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point

Determine to live for Jesus Christ. Be a passionate soul-winner this year, and you will see how faithful God is to His promise of answering your prayer.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 3:1-6:7 

Acts 2:1-28

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 5/12/2014 - SECRETS OF ABUNDANCE II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SECRETS OF ABUNDANCE II

Memorise

But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Luke 4:26

Read

Luke 4:25-26

4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

MESSAGE

Working hard and praying hard are prerequisite to enjoying God’s abundance. Apart from these, another secret of abundance is consistent sowing. You must keep sowing if you want to experience abundant life. The first seed you sow may open the door to blessings, but it takes persistent sowing to keep the door of blessings open. Let us take a closer look at the story of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:10-16). What opened the door of blessing to her was the first cake she made for Elijah, but what kept the food flowing was the fact that everyday, she kept on making cakes for Elijah. Your initial act of giving can take you to a level of abundant blessing. However, what will lead you to the level of ultimate abundance is persistent giving. The loss would have been unimaginable, if by the third day, this widow had stopped giving. This would have resulted in the drying up of her source of supply. Let us also learn a lesson from Solomon’s example. The first time he sacrificed unto God, he offered a thousand offerings. God prospered Him in no small measure through a mighty harvest that was unleashed on him. The next time he sacrificed unto God, he offered twenty two thousand oxen. 1 Kings 8:63 says:

“And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.”

Solomon kept on increasing in wealth because he kept on giving. At the end, he attained the level of ultimate financial breakthrough. He became so rich that nobody could attempt to count the amount of silver he had. For someone reading this devotional, you will become so rich that only higher denominations of money will matter to you. When your workers bring in the proceeds from your business, you will tell them to hand in the higher denominations and keep the lower denominations for themselves. Let’s ask ourselves this question: “What is the mystery behind the giving done by the widow of Zarephath?” It is an uncommon faith in God. It is this faith that made her to give her only means of sustenance. She gave her only food to Elijah because she needed to surrender the future into the hands of the God of Elijah. For these secrets of abundant blessing to work for you, you must first give your life to Jesus Christ. You must surrender your life to Him today if you have not done so already. Today can become your moment of supernatural breakthrough.

Prayer Point

Father, I hand over my life to you; take care of my future in the Name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Chronicles 33

Ecclesiastes 4

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 1/12/2014 - GIVERS NEVER LACK - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GIVERS NEVER LACK

Memorise

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Proverbs 11:24

Read

Luke 6:38

6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Message

If you are a good student of the Bible, you would have discovered that God specialises in performing special miracles when those who give sacrificially call upon Him. The story of the Shunammite woman teaches us vital lessons, one of which is that givers will always secure heavens’ attention. When you meet God’s needs, He will also meet your needs supernaturally and promptly. The Shunammite woman took care of Elisha time and again. She demonstrated uncommon commitment to ensuring that the man of God - Elisha, was well catered for at all times. And so one day, the Spirit of God told Elisha to ask this woman what she needed. She said she needed nothing but the man of God discovered that she had no child and he prophesied that she would have a baby within nine months. God’s word through Elisha was fulfilled and the Shunammite woman became a mother within nine months (2 Kings 4:16-17).

Givers always experience unprecedented miracles. When you give sacrificially, God will make the impossible become possible in your life. There is a brother I met during one of my ministerial trips to Eastern Nigeria. The brother picked me up at the airport having taken up the responsibility of driving me everywhere I went while the programme lasted. When it was time to leave, I thought of a parting gift I could give in appreciation of the hospitality. So I gave him some money and said, “Brother, kindly give this small gift to your children”. His response shocked me. He shouted “Amen” continuously and prayerfully. I called the Pastor-in-charge of that Province aside to find out why the brother was so enthusiastic about the gift I offered his children. The pastor informed me that although the brother was so rich, he was childless. I told the pastor that God was going to surprise him with a miracle. When I visited the same city the following year, the rich brother was at the airport as usual to pick me up. On that particular occasion, he came with a surprise gift. With tears of joy streaming down his face, he declared, “This is a gift from my first son”. The rich brother who had been childless for a number of years became a proud father miraculously by offering to drive me in his car. By believing the word of the Lord, the reproach of childlessness was rolled away from his life. You can begin to give sacrificially as from today and I tell you the Lord will bless you beyond your wildest dreams. I pray that your next offering will bring a gift that money cannot buy into your life in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

Look around you, find someone who is in need and bless him or her with a surprise gift. You will experience the beauty of being a generous giver.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Chronicles 23:16-25:28

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

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