OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Monday 29 December 2014 BE STEADFAST IN FAITH

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Monday 29 December 2014

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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 22:22-24:21 and SONG OF SOLOMON 7:1-10

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Sunday 28 December 2014 PERFECT CHRISTIAN?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Sunday 28 December 2014

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?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 20:17-22:21 and SONG OF SOLOMON 5:10-6:9

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Saturday 27 December 2014 IS GOD SILENT?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Saturday 27 December 2014

IS GOD SILENT?

Memorise:

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
Isaiah 59:1

Read: Isaiah 59:1-3

59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 18:18-20:16 and SONG OF SOLOMON 5:2-9

Message

Some seventeen years ago, I preached a message titled: “When God Is Silent”. In that message, I said that when people think God is silent, He is actually speaking but they are not listening. God also seems to be silent when people don’t want to accept what He has to say. God seems to be silent when people have made up their minds on the kind of response they expect to get from Him without which they would not listen to Him. God is silent when a covenant with Him has been broken as it was with King Saul. Saul wanted to hear from an agent with familiar spirits and also from God. God goes silent when He sees that He is not the only counsellor or source of guidance you have. If you have prayed to know God’s mind on certain issues and it seems God is silent, turn a searchlight on yourself. When your desire stands between you and God, it may appear God is silent. His apparent silence is actually speaking to you that there is something you have to give up. When God is silent, there may be an idol in your heart as stated in Ezekiel 14:3:
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?”

When God is silent, sin may have created a barrier between you and Him according to our Bible reading of today. When God is silent, your request may be borne out of a wrong motive (James 4:3). We need to bring down the glory of God for our prayers to be answered. The descent of God’s glory brings deliverance because the Lord of the glory is strong and mighty in battle; the Lord of hosts is His name. When I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, there was a student who urinated in the examination hall. The invigilator was embarrassed and decided to rush the boy to the campus clinic, but the boy objected and asked for his pastor to be sent for. My office phone rang and the caller briefed me on what had happened. Quickly, I got to the place and commanded the demon oppressing him to lose his hold on him in Jesus’ Name. God answered immediately and he was set free. He went to change his clothes, returned to the examination hall and finished before everybody else. The shortest way of calling God’s attention when it seems He is silent is through intense praise. God dwells in the praises of His people. God’s glory announces His Person and presence; it is a revelation of His power and awesomeness. No enemy can stand His glory. Call on Him today, listen to what He has to say and praise Him intensely.

Action Point:

Think over what God has spoken to you about and see whether you have ignored some. If you have, make restitution and you will hear Him clearly for a sense of direction.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Friday 26 December 2014 CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Friday 26 December 2014

CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP

Memorise:

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Hebrews 13:4

Read: Ephesians 4:14-15

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 16:16-18:17 and SONG OF SOLOMON 4:9-5:1

Message

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

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

Prayer Point:

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Thursday 25 December 2014 RIGHT CHOICE IN MARRIAGE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Thursday 25 December 2014

RIGHT CHOICE IN MARRIAGE

Memorise:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14

Read: 1 Kings 11:1-4

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

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

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 14:1-16:15 and SONG OF SOLOMON 4:1-8

Message

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

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

Prayer Point:

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

Merry Christmas

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Wednesday 24 December 2014 RIGHT CHOICE?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Wednesday 24 December 2014

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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 12:6-13:52 and SONG OF SOLOMON 3

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Tuesday 23 December 2014 NO IMPOSSIBILITY

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Tuesday 23 December 2014

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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 10:1-12:5 and SONG OF SOLOMON 2:8-17

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Monday 22 December 2014 FORSAKING ALL TO GAIN ALL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Monday 22 December 2014

FORSAKING ALL TO GAIN ALL

Memorise:

And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1 Kings 17:15

Read: Mark 10:28-30

10:28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 8-9 and SONG OF SOLOMON 1:11-2:7

Message

Elisha was the son of a wealthy farmer (1 Kings 19:19). He was unlike Elijah the son of a nobody, whose father’s name was not even mentioned in the Bible (1 Kings 17:1). Yet, Elisha followed this materially poor but spiritually rich prophet of Yahweh. When a fellow is called to forsake the business world to do spiritual work, he or she may not know the glory that is waiting for him or her. When Elisha forsook the flourishing farming business of his father, little did he know that kings will later call him “father” (2 Kings 6:21). In the text of today’s scripture reading, we read of how Jesus assured His disciples that their sacrificial living shall be rewarded in a hundredfold here and hereafter. As a result of the demand of God for my service on a full time basis, I had to leave the university campus where I had a duplex with a servant quarters to myself, to live in a very small “boys’ quarters” in Mushin, a poor Lagos neighbourhood. The apartment was obviously too small for me and my entire family. So, I asked God to give me a bigger house in other to give my family minimum comfort. The Lord then told me that I should not be asking for a house because He was preparing a city for me. Today, the Redemption Camp is the beginning of the fulfilment of the promised city. The city is still being awaited, because my Father in heaven said that we have not seen anything yet.

Whenever God wants to bless an individual, he sets the fellow up for the blessing. For example, when God wanted to bless Abraham, he set him up by asking Abraham to give him his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. The end of the whole drama was that after Abraham proved his love for God, God restrained him from killing his son and then swore that he would bless him and that through Abraham, the whole families of the earth shall be blessed. Abraham was not only blessed, he became a blessing (Genesis 22:15-18). Also, when the widow of Zarephath was to be blessed, she was set up by the demand of Prophet Elijah. He asked her to first prepare him a meal before hers, even though there was only one meal left in the house. The widow gave all to gain all, as she and her son were fed for about three and half years of famine (1 Kings 17:10-16). This principle is still at work today. If the children of God can learn from the experience of the people of old and trust God to the point of not withholding from God whatever he ask us to surrender to Him, then this principle will work for us. As you begin to surrender totally to God from today, you will always have more than you bargain for in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

What is God demanding from you? Give it to Him and you will receive pleasant surprises.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Sunday 21 December 2014 DETECTING FALSE PROPHETS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Sunday 21 December 2014

DETECTING FALSE PROPHETS

Memorise:

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

Read: 1 John 4:1-4

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

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

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACT 6-7 and SONG OF SOLOMON 1:1-10

Message

There are different categories of prophets. We have genuine prophets and counterfeit prophets. You might have been deceived by a false prophet, but if you search very well, you will find a genuine one who will deliver the correct message of God to you. One thing is certain: God will always deal with false prophets at His own time and in His own way (Deuteronomy 18:20). God always confirms the words of His genuine prophets (1 Samuel 3:19). The apostles warned us in their epistles against listening to false prophets. Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2:1 warns that:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

The children of God must be aware of the various ways by which prophecies come to people. Prophesies can originate from any of these sources: the Holy Spirit, the human spirit and the spirit of the devil. In 2 Chronicles 18:19-22, we read about a lying spirit which took possession of the mouth of self-made prophets of King Ahab. To counter the operations of false prophets in your environment, you must be armed with the truth of the word of God. One way of knowing false prophets is by weighing the content of their prophecies on the scale of the word of God. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ in Galatians 1:9 wrote that:
“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
For instance, it is a false prophet that would prophesy to a married woman that her real husband is yet to come. This is why children of God must be well-grounded in God’s word. A child of God that is well-grounded in God’s word, will know the scripture in Matthew 19:6 that says,
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
When a prophet prophesies to a born-again lady that an unbeliever is the man God has chosen for her, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 will reveal the falsehood of such prophetic utterance. It is equally important that a child of God possess the gift of discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10). May the Lord equip you with perfect knowledge of His word to be able to weigh every prophecy that comes your way in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL Saturday 20 December 2014 THE FULLNESS OF TIME

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Saturday 20 December 2014

THE FULLNESS OF TIME

Memorise:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Read: Acts 2:1-4

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

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

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ACTS 4-5 and ECCLECIATES 12:9-14

Message

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

One characteristic of the fullness of God’s time is its sudden arrival. The Bible says:
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”
Acts 2:1-2
It took God just one day to kick away famine from Samaria according to 2 Kings 7:1-18. Suddenly, food became surplus in the land after God moved into the situation of a people who had started killing their children for food. For someone using this devotional, you will receive sudden breakthroughs this season in Jesus’ Name. Your day of celebration shall fully come this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

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