OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 14/1/2015 - DIVINE TOUCH - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE TOUCH

MEMORISE

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
MARK 1 : 41.

READ

LUKE 7 : 11 – 15.

11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

MESSAGE

Divine touch simply refers to the touch of the Almighty Creator of the world. While there is the divine touch, there is also the satanic and human touch. Whatever is touched by God becomes extraordinarily good. Also, any negative situation that comes in contact with the divine touch experiences a positive turn-around. In Matthew 8 : 1 – 4, Jesus touched a leper and his leprosy disappeared. Also, in John 9 : 1 – 7, a man who was born blind regained his sight by the divine touch of Jesus Christ. A touch from Jesus can uproot a genetic problem. Even if the source of your problem is demonic, the touch of Jesus can take care of problems that even X-rays or MRI cannot see anything wrong with him or her, but the fellow would know that something is actually wrong somewhere.

It is interesting to note that a person can initiate the process that yields the divine touch if he or she believes. The leper initiated the process that brought him the divine touch when he came asking Jesus to heal him. It was just a touch that solved his problem (Mark 1 : 40 – 41 )

The story in our Bible reading today is a classic illustration of how the divine touch can turn around a hopeless situation. A widow lost her only son to untimely death and was on her way to bury her only hope. This widow and her dead son encountered Jesus on the way, and their situation was turned around through His divine touch. I pray for someone using this devotional that you will experience the divine touch in all areas of your life in Jesus’ Name. For you to experience the divine touch, you must take out time to study those who have had this experience in the past. Take the example of the lepers at the outskirts of town and came into the town at great risk to meet Jesus, all because he had unwavering faith that Jesus would make him whole. You need to have unwavering faith in the infallible Word of God. You can demonstrate this when you have high regard for the contents of the Bible and keep to its tenets. My prayer again is that the power in the Word of God will work for and not against you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, have compassion on me and touch my situation for good in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
ISAIAH 41 : 42
ACTS 8 : 26 – 40.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 13/1/2015 - DIVINE REPLACEMENT - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE REPLACEMENT

Memorise

And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
1 Samuel 15:28

Read

Esther 2:1-4

1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

MESSAGE

“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
Esther 2:17

From the scripture above, you will observe that divine replacement has both positive and negative sides to it. For Vashti, the divine replacement that occurred was negative, but for Esther, it was positive. I pray that you will enjoy the positive side of the divine replacement coming your way this season in Jesus’ Name. The Bible says that it is God Almighty who sets kings on thrones (Romans 13:1). The One who installs a king has the power to unseat the same king. Just as there is divine placement, so also is there divine replacement (1 Samuel 15:28). Endeavour to keep your God-given position and avoid replacement. You will not be replaced in Jesus’ Name.

The story behind the replacement of Vashti with Esther in Esther 2:1-17 should teach us some lessons as Christians. We should heed the warning in Revelation 3:11:

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

It is a pity that many so-called children of God are no longer holding fast their position of adoption.

They are selling their birthrights like Esau of old for a morsel of food. It was pride that replaced Queen Vashti. She momentarily forgot that she was only a queen because her husband was the king. She flouted the order of her husband, the king, and before she knew what was happening, someone else had taken her crown. To avoid divine replacement, we must be careful to obey every instruction given to us by our Saviour, King and Husband- Jesus Christ. One of such instructions is the commandment to bear fruit (John 15:16-17). When we bear fruit, we honour and complement His work of salvation. When we love our brethren, we establish His lordship on earth. However, when we refuse to bear fruit, we seem to make His death a waste. Also, when we behave in a manner that does not edify the brethren, we have no love. For example, when a so-called sister dresses to ‘torment’ the libidinal instinct of brothers, where is the love of God? There is no love in being a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 8:13).

Prayer Point

Father, please prevent me from doing anything that will make me lose my position in Christ, in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in one Year

Isaiah 38-40;

Acts 8:4-25

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 12/1/2015 - DIVINE INVOLVEMENT - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE INVOLVEMENT

 MEMORISE

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

Exodus 3:21

 READ

Exodus 3:7-8

 7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

MESSAGE

Divine involvement simply suggests God’s participation in a subject matter. When the Almighty God gets involved in a person’s affairs, it will appear as if the fellow is wiser or more powerful than others. Nothing becomes impossible for such a person. Whatever the challenge he or she is facing becomes history. The moment the Almighty God got involved in the affliction of the children of Israel, things began to work out for their good. God declared His involvement in their situation in Exodus 3:8a. He said:

 “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians”

 The first thing God did was to raise a deliverer for them. I pray that the Almighty God will send helpers to you this season in Jesus’ Name. Moses, the helper God decided to send, was not willing because he felt he was not capable. Notwithstanding, the Lord did not only convince him to volunteer himself, He also equipped him. God said to Moses in Exodus 3:12:

 “…Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.”

 This is one thing that children of God should know. It’s one thing to have a willing helper, and it’s another thing for the helper to be capable of rendering help.

 Several years ago, while travelling to Ilorin, I saw a young girl crying and shedding tears profusely.

 My attention was drawn to her, and I asked my driver to pull up the car beside her. I asked her why she was crying so much. She told me she had lost her mother’s money and that unless she found it, her mother would punish her severely. I asked her how much the money was, and she told me it was “fifty kobo”. I handed the said amount to her and she galloped away rejoicing. When God gets involved in your situation, He wipes tears away from your eyes. I prophesy to someone using this devotional that God will get involved in your situation today, and things will turn around for your good in Jesus’ Name. However, for God to get involved in your situation, you must establish a relationship with Him. God got involved in the terrible situation of the children of Israel because of the relationship He had with their patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 2:24-25).

ACTION POINT

Cry to God Almighty in the Name of Jesus to get involved in your situation today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 36-37;

Acts 7:44-8:3

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PRAYER GUIDE FOR RCCG 2015 40 DAYS FASTING AND PRAYER

The year 2015 has number 5 at its end, and five (5) indicates grace. In this year, the grace of God will see you through, protect you, cover you from all dangers, promote you, prosper you and put an end to every form of disgrace. These are the contents in the package of prophecies just released by our father in the Lord at the Crossover night. Hence, as we pray these fourty days, may we see the manifestation over our nations, our lives and ministries, in the name of Jesus.

God bless you.

Prayer Points

1. Thank God for being the God over your life. Ps.124:1-8


2. Praise the name of the Lord for bringing you into a bright new year.


3. Thank God for providing for your family throughout the past year. Ps.23:1-6


4. Thank God for defending your home. Ps. 20:1-3. Ps 145:1-21


5. Bless the name of the Lord for His mercies over your life and family members. Ps. 136:1-26. Ps.51:1-19


6. Plead God’s mercy for all your shortcomings. Ps.51:1-14


7. Thank God for His ultimate power that established RCCG.


8. Bless the name of the Lord for the obedience of Late Pa. Josiah Akindayomi, and Pastor E.A. Adeboye, to the voice of the Owner of ultimate power.


9. Ask God to remove everything that is acting as a hindrance to your prayers and progress.


10. Ask God to arise in His wrath and destroy every satanic plan against your life.


11. Pray that God would be glorified in your life from now on and forever


12. Ask God to encourage you all the way in 2015 like never before


13. Ask God to make your life attract millions of people unto Him.


14. Pray for all round peace throughout 2015.


15. Father, let me enjoy joy unspeakable and fill my life with your glory throughout the New Year.


16. Please, fill my mouth with laughter and give me a lot to dance and shout about in the 2015.


17. Lay your hands on your head and decree, you my head, you are destined to be the head anywhere you go. As from today, begin to take your headship position in Jesus name.


18. Father, I decree destruction upon every power magnetizing me away from your will, in the name of Jesus.


19. Father, in this year, make a way for me where people said there is no way.


20. Father, take your church to her next level of explosion.


21. Father, because I believe in you, let shame be far away from me in the name of Jesus.


22. Lift your hand to the Almighty and say, “Father, please lift me to such a height that no one can ever pull me down.”


23. Father, among the multitudes of people, single me out for miracles


24. Ask God to make His Power of Resurrection shake RCCG and make every dying life resurrect, in the name of Jesus.


25. Ask God to send His ultimate Power upon RCCG and revive every dead virtue in the name of Jesus. Matt 28:6.


26. Let the Power of Resurrection descend upon RCCG worldwide and rend every veil of sin and disobedience that is shielding people from favour Matt 27:51a.


27. Ask for the Power of God from heaven to go before His Church and grind every rock of opposition to powder, in the name of Jesus. Matt 25:51b.


28. Command the grave to receive the power of Resurrection and vomit every virtue of the Church swallowed by it. Matt 27: 52-53.


29. Let the ultimate power of God to do exploits in ministry rest upon all the Ministers in RCCG and transform them for good. Matt 28:18-19.


30. Ask the Lord for more grace and boldness to witness and win souls for Christ for every worker in RCCG. Matt 28:19.


31. Ask God to be merciful and release grace to say NO to sin into His Church. Ps 1:1-2


32. Ask the Lord Jesus, to have mercy and baptise His Church with grace to obey His voice, as sheep obeys the shepherd. Ps 23:11


33. Let the ability to be a disciple and to disciple others operate freely in every RCCG Church worker, from now. Matt 28:20


34. Ask the Lord to anoint all His children in RCCG and other living churches with the ability to abide in His teachings forever and to make heaven. Matt 28:20.


35. Ask God to arise on behalf of His church, and let every enemy of the Gospel be scattered.


36. Ask God to arise and let every pit dug for His servants swallow up the digger. Ps 35:7-8


37. Ask God to contend with those contending with the servants of God in RCCG. Isa 49:24-26


38. Pray that every enemy of revival in RCCG shall dry up from its roots, in Jesus’ Name.


39. Pray that the 40-day fasting shall be fruitful for all participants, their families, our Nations and the Church.


40. Pray for Open Heavens for showers of blessings and testimonies throughout the year.


41. Let us pray for bumper harvest of souls like never before this year.


42. Ask God to give you a new song in 2015.


43. Ask God for rapid and steady progress Ps.125:1-5


44. Ask God to bless your family more abundantly. Ps.128:1-6


45. Ask God for full restoration of losses of yesteryears. Joel.2:25-27; Ps. 126:1-6


46. Ask for the grace to become broken in God’s hands. Ps.15:1-6


47. Ask God to help you stop your leaking vessels. Ps.40:1-2


48. Pray to God to reward your holiness with blessings Ps.128:1-6


49. Thank God for full restoration Joel.2: 25-27; Ps.126:1-6


50. Thank God for answered prayers Ps. 20:1-9

Prayer for Daddy & Mummy G.O

1. Father, please pray for Your son the General Overseer, in this era of testimonies, increase his strength, anointing and wisdom in Jesus name.


2. Let us pray for Daddy and Mummy G.O that God will empower them the more to cope with their ministerial assignments in RCCG. Isa. 41:10-18


3. Let us pray that God in His mercy will silence every evil personality that is making the ministerial assignments uneasy for Daddy G.O. Ps.143:11-12


4. Let us pray that God will fortify the strength of Daddy and Mummy G O. Isa. 41:13-14.


5. Ask God to fortify Pastor E.A. Adeboye more with His ultimate Power.


6. Let us ask for God’s protection on Daddy G O’s family Ps 125:2


7. Let us ask God to contend with those contending with Pastor E. A. Adeboye and his family lsa.49:24-26.


8. Let us ask that God will baptise Pastor E. A. Adeboye and his family with the special anointing that automatically sends evil arrows back to their sender. Gen.12:3


9. Let us ask God to increase Daddy G.O and his family in all their endeavours. Isa. 60:22


10. Let us pray for Daddy G.O’s children that God will anoint them to fulfil destiny and also be in divine health. Ps.128:3


11. Let us ask for God’s special hand of favour to rest on Daddy and Mummy G.O. that they will flourish and will never fall nor fail in life. Ps.27:1


12. Let us pray that God will help Daddy and Mummy G O to finish strong in God’s own time. Ps.90


13. Let us pray for Daddy and Mummy G.O that God will help them to break more new grounds for RCCG worldwide.


14. Father, whenever Daddy and Mummy G.O call unto you, please answer them.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 11/1/2015 - THE DAY OF FAVOUR - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE DAY OF FAVOUR

MEMORISE

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12

READ

Esther 5:1-3

 1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

 3 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.

 MESSAGE

Queen Esther found favour in the sight of the king and she was promised blessings up to one half of the kingdom. There are lots of lessons in the passage before us. First of these is that the king’s eyes located Esther. 1 Samuel 16:11-13 tells us how favour located David while he was watching over the flock of his father. Mark 5:1-15 also narrates how favour located the mad man of Gadara in the graveyard. A sister who had been looking for a husband once attended a funeral service. In attendance also was a brother who had also been looking for a wife. On seeing her, he concluded that if the sister could look that beautiful in mourning clothes, she would look awesome when in high spirits. There and then, he concluded to go after her hand in marriage. This shows favour can locate you anywhere you are.

The king did not just see Esther, he focused on her. When your day of favour comes, God will not just glance at you, He will focus on you. The day favour beamed on the sick man at Bethesda, Jesus located him for healing (John 5:5-6). There was a man who had two doctorate decrees but could not get a job. When this man was brought to us he was unkempt as if he never attended school. We introduced him to Jesus and prayed with him. Before he got to his hometown that day, favour located him and people in his local government started looking for him with several job opportunities.

Another story of favour is that of a lady whose mother would not allow her to get married for fear of being neglected by her after marriage. After some words of prayer for this sister, there was deliverance. This sister had been in church for a long time, but when God’s favour located her, she suddenly got a suitor within one week. My prayer for you is that whatever is blocking the view of those who should favour you shall be removed this season in Jesus’ Name.

 The only obstacle to divine favour is unrighteousness. The Bible in Psalm 5:12 says:

 “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”

 I therefore appeal to you to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, and begin to live a life acceptable to God for divine favour.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please let your favour locate me for breakthrough today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 32:9-35:10;

Acts 7:23-43

 

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 09/1/2015 - THE WONDER WORKING PRAISE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

The Wonder-Working Praise

Memorise

 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Chronicles 20:21

Read

2 Chronicles 20:21-24

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

MESSAGE

It’s a good thing to give thanks to the Lord (Psalm 92:1). One of the wonders of praise is that it ushers you into the presence of the Lord (Psalm 100:4). We know that in the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). It’s impossible to be in the presence of God and remain the same.

The Bible speaks of so many weapons of spiritual warfare, but the most effective of them all is praise. The Lord revealed to me years ago that when you are praying and fasting or loosing and binding, you are doing the battle. But when you are praising God, the Lord will do the battle on your behalf. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, after three great kings formed an alliance to fight King Jehoshaphat, he, by the leading of the Spirit of God, realised that it was through high praises that he would win the battle. So he put up a mighty orchestra for the praise of God. As the singers were praising the Lord, the Lord took over the battle and fought on behalf of King Jehoshaphat. The enemies of King Jehoshaphat helped to destroy themselves, and the task left for Jehoshaphat was to collect the treasures the enemies left behind. I pray that God will fight on your behalf; you will possess the gates of your enemies and you will know peace in Jesus’ Name.

In Psalm 67:1-7, we read of what will happen when people praise the Lord. One of the wonders of praise is that the earth will yield her increase and God will bless His people. Another wonder of praise is that when the people see the magnitude of the blessings that God showers upon those who praise Him, the whole earth will fear Him. May the good Lord give you the type of blessing that will cause people to fear your God in Jesus’ Name. If you really want to go forward, increase and multiply, then you must know how to praise the Lord. There is this testimony of a couple who after twenty-two years of marriage had no child, until their pastor was led to tell them that they should fill their house with praise twenty-four hours of the day until further notice. Within three months of doing this by way of playing music of praise round the clock, the wife got pregnant and many years of waiting was brought to an end. To engage in effective praise for wonders, one must ensure that he lives righteously, because sinners cannot praise God acceptably (Proverbs 15:8).

Action Point

Set out quality time to praise the Lord today, and cultivate the habit of continuous qualitative worship of God in your life.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 27-29

Acts 6:1-7:2

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 09/1/2015 - THE WONDER WORKING PRAISE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

The Wonder-Working Praise

Memorise

 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Chronicles 20:21

Read

2 Chronicles 20:21-24

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

MESSAGE

It’s a good thing to give thanks to the Lord (Psalm 92:1). One of the wonders of praise is that it ushers you into the presence of the Lord (Psalm 100:4). We know that in the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). It’s impossible to be in the presence of God and remain the same.

The Bible speaks of so many weapons of spiritual warfare, but the most effective of them all is praise. The Lord revealed to me years ago that when you are praying and fasting or loosing and binding, you are doing the battle. But when you are praising God, the Lord will do the battle on your behalf. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, after three great kings formed an alliance to fight King Jehoshaphat, he, by the leading of the Spirit of God, realised that it was through high praises that he would win the battle. So he put up a mighty orchestra for the praise of God. As the singers were praising the Lord, the Lord took over the battle and fought on behalf of King Jehoshaphat. The enemies of King Jehoshaphat helped to destroy themselves, and the task left for Jehoshaphat was to collect the treasures the enemies left behind. I pray that God will fight on your behalf; you will possess the gates of your enemies and you will know peace in Jesus’ Name.

In Psalm 67:1-7, we read of what will happen when people praise the Lord. One of the wonders of praise is that the earth will yield her increase and God will bless His people. Another wonder of praise is that when the people see the magnitude of the blessings that God showers upon those who praise Him, the whole earth will fear Him. May the good Lord give you the type of blessing that will cause people to fear your God in Jesus’ Name. If you really want to go forward, increase and multiply, then you must know how to praise the Lord. There is this testimony of a couple who after twenty-two years of marriage had no child, until their pastor was led to tell them that they should fill their house with praise twenty-four hours of the day until further notice. Within three months of doing this by way of playing music of praise round the clock, the wife got pregnant and many years of waiting was brought to an end. To engage in effective praise for wonders, one must ensure that he lives righteously, because sinners cannot praise God acceptably (Proverbs 15:8).

Action Point

Set out quality time to praise the Lord today, and cultivate the habit of continuous qualitative worship of God in your life.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 27-29

Acts 6:1-7:2

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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 - WEDNESDAY - 07/1/2015 - WONDER WORKING NAME - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

Wonder-Working Name

Memorise

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Mark 16:17

Read

Matthew 1:21-23

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us

MESSAGE

From Mark 16:17, we understand that signs and wonders shall follow those who believe in the Name of Jesus Christ. The wonder-working power in the Name of Jesus Christ is also declared in Isaiah 9:6. Indeed the Name of Jesus is full of wonders. In Acts 3:6, Peter the apostle said that,

“…Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

Immediately Peter mentioned this Name, the feet and ankle bones of the lame man he was talking to received strength and he began to make progress in life – beginning with walking and later leaping. With the Name of Jesus Christ in your mouth, nothing becomes impossible for you. Those who do not believe in the Name of Jesus for salvation, either for religious or intellectual reasons, may not know what they stand to lose. The Bible says:

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

This scripture reveals the secret that makes the Name of Jesus work for someone: righteousness. Only the righteousness that is obtainable through that Name can make the same Name work wonders for you. As a matter of fact, it is through this Name that we receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43).

When Peter commanded the lame man to walk in the Name of Jesus, it was done immediately. By the power in the Name, Jesus, I command you to receive deliverance from all forms of oppression you have been suffering from now on. The Name of Jesus Christ is anointed (Song of Solomon 1:3). This is why the Name destroys the yokes of the devil and produces deliverance for the oppressed. A young Christian was travelling in a boat one day, and as the boat was about to capsize, he shouted that Name. Unseen hands came to his rescue. I pray that the Name of Jesus will begin to work for you as you believe and use the Name as from today in Jesus’ Name. The devil may resist anything but not in the Name of Jesus Christ, because God has given Him a Name above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11).

Action Point

Apply the Name of Jesus to any challenging situation or to anything that represents a mountain in your life, and you will see it give way to the glory of God the Father.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 19:16-22:25

Acts 5:1-21

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 06/1/2015 - THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD

MEMORISE

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 Genesis 1:3

Read

Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

MESSAGE

Isaiah 55:10-11 establishes the wonder-working power of the spoken Word of God. The Word of God can transform darkness to light (Genesis 1:3). This is why in Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus cried for the recovery of his sight, all Jesus did was speak, and his sight was restored. Genesis 1:20-22 reveals the fact that the spoken Word of God can transform emptiness to fullness. At the beginning of creation, the world was empty and void, but when the spoken Word of God went forth, the world became full of all sorts of creatures. I prophesy to you that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, your emptiness shall be transformed to fullness.

Moreover, the spoken Word of God can bring orderliness to a confused situation. We see this in the story of the storm that rocked the boat of Jesus and His disciples (Mark 4:35-41). All Jesus did was to speak peace to the confusion on the sea, and there was calm. This same spoken Word of God can go into the bowels of the earth to bring the dead buried there back to life (John 11:39-44). I want to encourage you to identify genuine prophets of God and never trivialise the word that comes out of their mouth. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read about the word of the prophet of God to a poor widow whose sons were about to be sold into slavery. The moment the man of God spoke, the multiplying power of God went into the lone bottle of oil in her hand and the miracle began to happen. Today, as you read this devotional, standing on the authority of the Word of God, I decree that every emptiness in your life will be filled in Jesus’ Name.

Years ago, a man came to us for prayer. He was distressed because he had become financially bankrupt. After the prayer, he said he knew he should not come to a man of God empty-handed but that he had nothing to give. As if that was not enough, he begged for transport money back home. I took the little money I had then, gave it to him and said, “This money will never finish”. He said “Amen” and left. Today, I know at least two of the houses he built after that encounter. My earnest prayer for you too is that whatever money is in your possession as you are reading this devotional shall not finish in Jesus’ Name. Believe in the spoken Word from the mouth of God’s prophet, depart from iniquity and you will give testimonies of power in the Word.

ACTION POINT

Read aloud all the written prophecies in today’s devotional, receive them by faith and you will experience the power in the Word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 15:1-19:15; Acts 4:23-37

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 5/1/2015 - THE WONDERS OF NEW CREATION - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE WONDERS OF NEW CREATION

MEMORISE

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 CORINTHIANS 5 : 17.

READ

JOHN 3 : 1 – 5.

1 THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

MESSAGE

The Almighty God is the Chief Planner, the Architect and the Builder per excellence. Before the universe was put together, God planned it. No man is in this world by accident. He told Jeremiah that before He formed him, He knew him ( Jeremiah 1 : 4 – 5 ). In the beginning, God had beautiful plans for His creation, but along the line, sin distorted His plans for the universe and particularly for the human race. But God, being the Almighty, decided in His Infinite mercy to restore His distorted creation. This is why in Jeremiah 18 : 1 – 4, we read an interesting story of a potter and his clay vessel which got damage in the process of being worked. The potter made up his mind to start all over again. I prophecy that God’s Original purpose for your life which the enemies have tampered with shall be restored today in Jesus’ Name.

Paul the sinner who later became a saintly apostle of Jesus Christ is one example of a person who experienced the wonders of new creation. In his testimony in 1 Timothy 1 : 15, he wrote that he was the chief sinners. In 2 Corinthians 5 : 17, he summed up the wonders of new creation saying :

” Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

In our scripture reading today, Jesus Christ told Nicodemus that he must be born-again in order to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus then asked Jesus in John 3 : 4 that :

“….Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

Jesus replied that it is possible to become a new creation by water and the spirit of God. All these are mysteries and pointers to the wonders of new creation. For you to experience these wonders, you must surrender your total life to Him who is able to recreate and restore beautiful plans that have been distorted by the evil one. The Bible in Acts 3 : 19 says :

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”

I pray that you will experience the wonders of new creation in all spheres of your life in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, whatever beautiful plans you have for my life that the enemies have distorted, please restore in Jesus’Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 

ISAIAH 12 – 14 AND ACTS 4 : 1 – 22.

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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 - SATURDAY - 3/1/2015 - LIKE THE STARS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

LIKE THE STARS

MEMORY VERSE

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:3 

Read

Daniel 6:19-28

19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

24. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26, I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (Daniel 6:19-28 KJV)

MESSAGE

A star is as outstanding figure among his or her contemporaries. He shines and outshines his colleagues. One of the ways to be a star is to be created a star (Genesis 1:16). Jeremiah was created a star by God (Jeremiah 1:5). Another way to become a star is to have a parent who is a star. The day a prince is born, he is already a star. While some people are born as star, some others are made stars or gifts and through hard work, get promoted to become stars. Deuteronomy 34:9 tells of Joshua who was made a star because Moses laid hands on him. Daniel achieved stardom by the use of his gifts, skills and through hard work (Daniel 6:1-3).

To shine like the stars, you need God. The Bible in Psalm 75:6-7 says:

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

You can move God to make you a star if you seek Him and surrender your life to Him (Hebrews 11:6, Proverbs 8:17). You can influence your way to stardom if you shun iniquity and love righteousness. The Bible makes this clear in Hebrew 1:9:

“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Proverbs 22:6 tells of the importance of parental training in order for children to become stars. In other words, parents can make stars out of their children through proper training – spiritually, intellectually and morally (Deuteronomy 11:19). My mother did a good job on me. While other children were playing outside, my mother would compel me to stay indoors to read my books. I am what I am today by the grace of God and the efforts of my mother. Children can also influence their own shining through hard work (Proverbs 22:29). Some children are addicted to computer games instead of reading their books. There are Christians youths who are believing God for breakthroughs without hard work. They are just wasting their time, because no breakthrough will come to a lazy fellow. Also, children must obtain the blessing of their parents by honouring them. I remember my mother would pray for me thus: “When you call one fellow, two hundred will respond.” It is now a reality in my life; Hallelujah!!!

Prayer Point

Father, please help me that I may do what I need to do what I need to do in order to shine as a star from now onward.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 6:8-9:7

Acts 2:29-47

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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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