Open Heavens 2012-1 DecemberIDENTIFIED BY BOLDNESS

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 1 December

IDENTIFIED BY BOLDNESS

Memorise: The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

Read: Psalms 34:1-5

The righteous is identified by the level of boldness he or she exudes in God.

Proverbs 28:1 says:

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Righteousness builds up your faith in God until all the' space for unbelief and doubts are completely occupied. Every righteous act gives you some elements of boldness. Righteousness contains the tried and tested building blocks for boldness. The one who is living righteously has confidence that all is well and cannot easily be pushed abound by circumstances or enemies. The righteous does not respond to threats in fear but rather with joy as the fellow knows whoever threatens him is threatening the Almighty God and is assured that enemy will soon become history. It is sinners and those believers who have skeletons in their cupboards or lack knowledge that are easily afraid. A lizard moves across their door and they panic. If you are easily scared, check yourself: something is either wrong with your life of righteousness or you do not know who you are. You might have compromised on holiness at some point. The righteous pride themselves not in their ability, knowledge, wisdom, wealth or achievements, but in the ability of their God.

The righteous are people of courage. They know that their God is in charge. This was why Daniel could go into the lion's den and also why the trio could enter Nebuchadnezzar's fire. Psalms 34:2 says it is in God we make our boast. Daniel 11:32 says the knowledge of God in you produces strength and exploits. When you meet the righteous who knows his or her God, the boldness that will be seen from such a fellow will inspire others to covet the God of that believer. Are you bold? Are you radiating courage wherever you go? Every sin you allow into your life depletes your boldness. Ensure you live right before Hi so that you can demonstrate His boldness in your life.

KEY POINT

If you live in sin, you are a victim of fear. If you live in righteousness, you will exude courage.

Open Heavens 2012-30 November-BETTER THINGS ARE ABOVE

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 30 November

BETTER THINGS ARE ABOVE

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

Colossians 3:2

Read: Colossians 3:1-3

After John wrote the letters Jesus dictated to him, he looked up and saw a door open in Heaven. He was invited to come and see certain things. From the first chapter of the book of Revelation to Revelation 4:1, we see three doors. Revelation 3:8 talks about an open door of prayer, missionary activity, etc. The second-door is in Revelation 3:20 which speak of the door of choice. The third door in Revelation 4:1 speaks of heavenly revelation. When heavenly doors are open, you will see beautiful things. Heaven is a super planet crafted with the best architecture, building construction, beautification, engineering, etc. The beauty of Heaven is indescribable. What we can only do is to search for things that come a little close to what is there. If you are a lover of beautiful things, well-crafted and highly designed houses, well planned streets and other magnificent things, wait until you get to Heaven. There is simply nothing to be compared to this planet! Somebody who visited said the gold and precious stones on earth are incomparable to those in Heaven.

When you look at Heaven, you see the glory of God. You see God's unbeatable taste in beauty and yet in all of Heaven, you cannot find anywhere a single sin is being committed. Who says you cannot be wealthy and live in affluence without staining your garment of righteousness? Heaven is full of beauty. Many of us are so busy about earthly things that we may never have the opportunity of seeing a vision of open Heavens. This is why Colossians 3:1-3 says you should set your love and attention on heavenly things. If you look to the earth, you will only see and receive from the earth. Change your focus today- There are better things above. There is better news above. There are more glorious sights above. Turn your eyes up and see what God sees. As you look to the Lord from today, He will open your eyes to see what you never saw. The Heavens will open to you this reason.

PRAYER POINT

Father, open my eyes to see visions of Heaven.

Open Heavens 2012-29 November-FORCEFUL RECONCILIATION

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 29 November

FORCEFUL RECONCILIATION

Memorise: And they said, we sow certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there he now on oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; Genesis 26:28

Read: Genesis 26:27-31

On their way to the Promised Land, the children of Israel faced several threats and dangers from contrary situations but God's presence protected them from all evils. Moses knew how valuable God's presence was so he insisted that if God was not going anywhere with them, they were going to stay where His presence was (Exodus 33:14-15). From today, as you bask in God's presence at home, school, church or work place, you will enjoy His full protection in Jesus name. Similarly, God's presence gave them victory over their enemies. God had to overthrow stronger, larger and more powerful nations for their sake before they could inherit Canaan (Deuteronomy 4:37-39).

In addition to these, God's presence also gives prosperity as can be seen in the life of Joseph (Genesis 39:2-3). It is easy to prosper when God's presence goes with us. When God is the only missing ingredient in an arrangement that has the best brains, failure may result. He makes all the difference. Is God with you today? Is God in your business? Is He in that project you have been planning? If you have the capital, idea, personnel but God is not there, you are not yet ready to start. Let Him always be in your boat. Moreover, the presence of God can compel our enemies to reconcile with us when they realise they cannot overcome us in battle. That was the experience of Isaac in Genesis 26:27-31 .The same people that sent Isaac away went to look for him in his new location. They observed that through God's presence with him, he prospered everywhere he turned. They were afraid that he could become so mighty that he may become allied with their enemies to destroy them. So to forestall that, they came to make peace with him. Are your enemies still fighting with you? If you can allow God's presence to be mighty in your life, your enemies will be forced to be at peace with you.

KEY POINT

It is very dangerous to fight anyone carrying Gods presence as defeat is guaranteed!

Open Heavens 2012-28 November-HABAKKUK ALSO WAITED

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 28 November

HABAKKUK ALSO WAITED

Memorise: Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Hebrews 2:1

Read: Hebrews 2:1-3

While going through his trial, Job waited on the Lord. At long last, God sent His Word and solution came into his situation. Beloved, wait on His Word in every situation you find yourself. Habakkuk learnt to do so. In Habakkuk 2:1-3, he said before he will do anything at all, he will wait to hear from, God on the matter. Why? It is because that is the most important event on which subsequent actions would be based. Has .a brother proposed to you in marriage? Do not tell him "Yes" or "No". Tell him, "give me time to pray about it". If he comes again while you are yet to hear from your Father, tell him, "I need more time to hear from God". If he is too much in a hurry, let him go. All brothers in Christ cannot possibly be your husband. When the right person comes, one way you will know he is not a "hit and go" is that he will tell you he has reached his last bus stop and is prepared to wait as long as it takes. Patience is one good criterion for sieving who is serious and mature from the one who thinks marriage is all about sex.

Moreover, the fact that we are waiting does not indicate that God has shelved His responsibilities towards us as mortals do. When some people ask you to wait, they mean that you should forget about your expectation. Those kept on their waiting list would have waited so long before they realise they were only wasting time. When God says wait, He will surely respond to you. After Habakkuk had earnestly prayed against the evil of his days, he expected God to do something especially since He disapproves of their evil deeds. But when God's judgement on the wicked appeared delayed, even though Habakkuk could not understand it, he resolved to wait. Are you in similar situation where you have done all that God expects for a particular promise to be fulfilled, yet no answer appears in sight? lust wait. His answer will surely come and when it does, if you consider its timing, it could not have been better timed.

KEY POINT

If you move on when the spiritual traffic light turns red, you will infringe on spiritual laws of motion and will pay for it.

Open Heavens 2012-27 November-EXPENSIVE EXCHANGE

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 27 November

EXPENSIVE EXCHANGE

Memorise: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8

Read: Luke 4:1-6

From Luke 6'38 we understand that it is when you give that something will be given back to you. This is a divine principle that works for anyone. The devil knows this and has applied this same principle and obtained results from it. For instance, when he took the position and authority of being god of this world from Adam, what did he do? Did he say: Relinquish your position and authority over the earth to me so that I can now be in charge of your domain? No! All he did was to offer him the forbidden fruit. As soon as Adam received and ate the fruit, he sinned against God. The devil jumped up and started to quote that since he is now a sinner, he could no longer retain what he got in holiness. And since he had already given to him, he has a right to receive his harvest. What could Heaven do about this? The devil had smartly played his card and so he quietly collected from Adam the authority God had bestowed upon him. From that moment, the devil began to use Adam's authority to torment, trouble, terrorise, humiliate and destroy both Adam and the whole of the human race.

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory I of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will give it.  Luke 4:6

From the time of scoring this victory over Adam, the devil has been dangling Adam's power before men and taking over their souls. The only way that power could be regained was either forcefully by God, which will make the devil to accuse God of arbitrariness or by engaging the Devil on a level playing field and defeating him. This was why Jesus had to come as a man to rescue mankind. When He came, the devil dangled the same power before Him and the Lord said, "I have come to recover what you stole from Adam", but Satan said, "I did not steal it. Adam willingly relinquished it to me". When did he do that? It was during the exchange - when he accepted the forbidden fruit. If you don't want to lose anything, never accept anything from Satan. Anything you receive from him gives him the authority to take precious things from you in return. Any exchange programme with the devil will always leave the human side the worse for it. Have you been receiving from the devil? He will have his pound of flesh. Be wise.

KEY POINT

If the devil gives you one naira, he will attempt to collect one million naira in return

Open Heavens 2012-26 November-A SINNER'S SPECIAL OFFER

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 26 November

A SINNER'S SPECIAL OFFER

Memorise: Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the some loveth little. Luke 7:47

Read: Luke 7:36-50

The wealthy woman of 2 Kings 4:8-17 got her desired change through giving. If you can correctly use the powerful tool of giving, there is hardly any door it cannot open to you. The question is: Are you ready to give what can deliver your desired change? Not only was the woman changed from barrenness to fruitfulness, her family name that was to become extinct was preserved by the birth of a baby boy! Another person that-effectively used giving was Cornelius, in Acts 10:1-48, he was told that his prayers and alms giving have been remembered by God and as a result, salvation, through- faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was granted him and his household.

A sinful woman once came to Jesus and wept much at His feet, washing them with her tears and wiping them with her hair. This was what nobody had done to Him before. Usually, it was their custom to provide water to wash the feet of your visitor but she felt water was just too cheap so she used her tears and instead of a towel to wipe, it was her hair which God gave her for glory. Then she kissed His feet severally instead of His hands and brought her alabaster box of ointment and began to anoint His feet instead of His head. By the time the Lord compared his host Simeon the Pharisee with the sinner, it was evident that what His host did not give to Him, she offered willingly to Him and this paved way for her. She got forgiveness of all her many sins. Also from this story we learn that to stand out and receive something great from the Lord, you must not just give what all others are giving but give in a different manner. Be creative in your giving. Give what no one else will ordinarily give. If you can prayerfully think of it, the Holy Ghost can give it to you. Through her special giving, she got what many could not buy. She entered Simeon's house a chief sinner but left a saint. Initiate your change today

KEY POINT

Giving to God in an unusual manner uncovers God's extraordinary benevolence.

Open Heavens 2012-25 November-IT SHALL COME TO PASS

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 25 November

IT SHALL COME TO PASS

Memorise: For to him that is joined to all the living there is nope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4

Read: Romans 4:20-21

Many years ago, while I was still struggling to pay my school fees, an old man met me and said: "One day, you will travel abroad as often as a woman goes to the market". I looked at him and received it. "Yes sir, thank you". Although it appeared too incredible to me then but today, I spend more time abroad than I do in Nigeria. I prophesy into your life that every good prophesy concerning your life will come to pass, no matter how incredible they are. After a promise, there might be some delay but as you wait patiently maintaining your right-standing with God, you will experience the joy of fulfilment.

I  have personally benefited from this. There were several prophecies concerning the work the Lord had given me to do when I newly became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. On the 24th of December, 1974 at Orimolusin College, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State (South-West Nigeria), the Lord said to me that He was going to build me a great army which I would lead into the battle. But in 1981 when I assumed office as the General Overseer, the entire membership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was below 1000. To actualise that promise, I  prayed,  fasted,  held  special programmes every month. I also conducted seminars and outreaches which people attended but left immediately the programme was over. I later travelled to some other places but I did not see it, so I kept asking: "Where is the great army?" Suddenly, the turning point came and here we are today. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says God's promises are Yes and Amen in Christ. Hold on to that promise the Lord has made to you because in due season, He will bring it to pass. Ecclesiastes 9:4 says as long as you are alive there is hope. As long as God is on your side, no matter the opposition, hindrance or difficulty, you will reach where the Lord is taking you to. The God who has been bringing His promises to pass in my life will also fulfil His promises in yours as long as you stand in the place of holiness, obedience and faith.

KEY POINT

It may not follow your expectations and time, however, God's promises will surety come to pass.

Open Heavens 2012-24 November-SECRET SINS

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 24 November

SECRET SINS

Memorise: Thou host set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Psalms 90:8

Read: Psalms 19:12-14

Besides expressing faith in God, the righteous is identified by consistent right-standing with God. According to Ezekiel 3:21, the righteous is expected not to live in sin, but to continue to do what glorifies God. Righteousness is not something you engage today and disengage tomorrow like some people think. You do not abstain from sin only when those you respect are around, but also when they are not around. The righteous does not only abstain from public sins but also from secret ones. The challenge of most believers is not how to avoid open sins but how to stay righteous in their thought realm and to keep away from touching the unclean thing when they are all by themselves. That is a major challenge and for the righteous, this is the area he or she devotes more attention and prayer to.

David was one person who had a challenge in this area. Through the knowledge of God's Word, he understood that secret sins, which nobody else is privy to, is fully exposed to God. In Psalms 90:8, he says our sins which were shrouded in secrecy of darkness and ignorance are exposed by the light of His presence. Your secret sins are not covered at all! God knows everything about your secret deeds. The devil or his agents who were present when you indulged in those evil acts also have the records. It is either God exposes your secrets, or the devil does. What you have buried in the earth or locked up in a safe, which you think is safe, is not safe at ail. It can be exposed at anytime. The only secrets that can truly be secrets are the ones you confess to the Lord and hand over to Him. If He covers your faults, nobody can uncover them. When David realised this, he therefore asked God to deliver him from secret sins. Are you still living in sin secretly? Do you secretly masturbate, lust after same sex or the opposite sex? Do you secretly steal or bribe to influence decisions? Repent today and hand your secrets over to God.

KEY POINT

The secret sins you fail to expose to Him today will be exposed before everyone and then nobody and nothing can cover your shame.

Open Heavens 2012-23 November-HE IS KNOCKING

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 23 November

HE IS KNOCKING

Memorise: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  Revelation 3:20

Read: Romans 13:1-2

The Lord is standing and knocking at your heart today. He may be knocking on the door asking you to repent but will not force Himself in. He may be knocking on the door asking you to obey a particular directive He gave you but He will not compel you to obey. He may also be knocking on the door asking you to make restitution in certain areas of your life. Have you opened the door to the Lord? It is either you open to Him or keep Him out, pretending not to hear. Just remember that one day, you too will knock on the gates of Heaven and it will be His turn to open to you or not. On that day, who you know on earth, your academic qualification, your wealth, status and achievements on earth will not be able to help you. Jesus Christ holds the key to the pearly gates of Heaven so if ] you want Him to open to you then, open you heart to Him now.

Moreover, the Lord gave a wonderful promise to overcomers in Revelation 3:21. He says if you overcome, you will sit with Him in His throne just as He overcame and is presently sitting with His Father on His throne. The Father and the Holy Spirit have their thrones. Surrounding them are four living creatures and 24 elders. In Heaven, some people may sit about a million miles to God's throne while some will sit near the throne but the overcomers will sit in the throne itself. You cannot be an overcomer without fighting and winning. Matthew 11:12 says God's Kingdom allows spiritual violence. To be an overcomer, be born again, sanctified and baptised in the Holy Spirit, obey God's Word and every instruction the Lord gives to you. Exact the victory that Christ has given you  over your fleshly  desires,  Satan,  worldly  attractions and temptations. To be an overcomer, you cannot afford to be lukewarm. Let the Lord revive you and be on fire for Him. Is your heart open to the King of kings today?

PRAYER POINT

Father, in any way I have shut my heart to You  I repent in dust and ashes, and open up my heart to You today.

Open Heavens 2012-22 November-BENEFITS OF HIS PRESENCE

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 22 November

BENEFITS OF HIS PRESENCE

Memorise: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Read: 1 Chronicles 26:4-8

Obededom was used as a guinea pig to test if there was any further judgement from God with regards the Ark of the Covenant. But instead of judgement, his blessing became overwhelming. In the ministry, there are some people I know that would prosper irrespective of where they are sent. In 1 Chronicles 26:4-8, the presence of God in the house of Obededom turned his .    children into-mighty men of valour. No more did they continue as people who did not matter. This is one reason family altars which bring down God's glory should be maintained in every home. Some men pray apart from their wives or leave the children to pray alone. No! It must include the whole family. It is not enough to have a family altar but you must ensure your relationships are right and that there is peace at home so that the glory of God can come down. If there was any misunderstanding, at prayer time, ensure it is resolved before you pray. The family that praises and worships God frequently to the point of bringing down His glory into their house is a wise family. The more God's glory comes upon a house, the less habitable it becomes for powers of darkness.

Children who regularly bask in the glory of God will be able to express their full potentials in life. God's presence takes away hindrances to progress. It also brings about fruitfulness as we can see in the family of Obededom. Not only were his children honourable, they were also people who were fit; they were physically strengthened to serve God. None of them was a weakling as they ably served God wherever they were. They were people you could depend on. The presence of God therefore strengthens those under it to serve God. If you come under the cover of God's glory, you will have your strength renewed. In God's presence is divine strength to serve God. If you can access His presence, you will not lack the energy to serve Him or the grace to live for Him. It is wonderful to be in His presence.

PRAYER POINT

Father, let the benefits of being in Your presence manifest in my life as I come into Your presence

Open Heavens 2012-21 November-JOB WAITED

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 21 November

JOB WAITED

Memorise: If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Job 14:14

Read: Job 14:11-14

Between expectations and fulfilment, there is need to wait. The duration however is dependent on the size of what is being expected. Job was one person who successfully waited, in job 14:14, he says:

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

During his trial of faith, he suffered terribly. He lost virtually everything apart from his wife who asked him to curse God and die. He had obviously lost her to the world. He had no inkling as to why the evil occurrences around him happened, yet he believed that if he could hear God speak, all would be well. He was not only prepared to wait for one day, a week, a month or a year, but rather to wait as long as it takes to effect a change in his situation. Unlike many of us today, job did not give God an ultimatum or threaten him by saying: "If you do not give me this blessing by such and such a time, I will backslide," It is spiritual babes that threaten God in the midst of a trial. Sometimes the way they relate with God during such a period reveals a mindset that God is the problem. They attack God instead of facing the reality of their need.

From Job, we learn to be patient in tribulation. A time of trial is a time to exercise great restraint and tread with care for the following reasons: Most decisions taken during such a period may be rash, so there is need to have a clear head before arriving at any conclusion; also, it is not advisable to take any step without hearing from God because even when you may not be responsible for the problem you are presently going through, you will be accountable for anything you do wrong during the period of your trial. It is very important to sustain a personal relationship with God during the time of trial because He is all you've got. At such a time, men may disappoint or despise you. Everything else may be against you except God. All you may be required to do will be to wait on Him in spite of what your senses are urging you to do. Learn to hear and recognise God's voice. This can be relatively easy to learn during a trial of faith period. Are you going through a period of trial? The Lord will make a way for you in Jesus name.

 

ACTION POINT

Every second you spend waiting on the Lord is an investment that will come back to you.

 

Open Heavens 2012-20 November-GIVING: WHAT CONTAINER?

Pst. E. A. Adeboye 20 November

GIVING: WHAT CONTAINER?

Memorise: 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. Luke 6:38

Read: Luke 6:37-38

If you know the power of your seed, you will not joke with it; you will also not hide it. Another principle of giving is that God uses your measure to Him to give back to you. You will only be expecting God to become a magician if you expect a different measure. God is no magician. He multiplies what you give to Him but He does not change the container. Luke 6:38 says:

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.

Dollar is a measure, Naira is another measure. Euro is another and Pounds is another measure. If you want returns in Dollars, sow in Dollars. Do not sow in Naira and be expecting a harvest in Euro. It does not work like that. You can be in any country and sow in the particular currency in which you want your harvest. Sow and keep on sowing in that currency. By the time your harvest comes, you will celebrate. In addition, the various denominations of each currency are different measures too. Take for instance the Nigerian Naira, you have N1000, N500, N200, N100, N50, N20, N10 and N5 notes. It is the particular denomination that you use that God will multiply and return to you. If you keep using the smallest of the denominations and think you are thrifty or wise, you are only limiting yourself. Do yourself a favour by using the biggest denominations so as to get the greatest harvest. Sometimes however, when you sow in a foreign currency, God may give you the harvest in a local currency for a reason. But if you check the value and compare with what you sowed, you will know that God knows how to calculate value in any currency. How often do you sow? The key to your financial breakthrough is in your hands. If you fail to use it, nothing will be delivered to you but if you use it very well, your life will turn around for good.

ACTION POINT

Before you give, decide on the harvest you want and thereafter choose the seed and container that will deliver the harvest to you.

Open Heavens 2012-19 November

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 19 November

Memorise: So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.  Luke 12:21

Read: Luke 12:16-21

The greatest blessing you can give to anyone is to prepare the fellow for Heaven. Revelation 22:12 says:

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Give a man a million naira; if he is not financially prudent and does not have the wisdom on how to invest it, after some time, there may be no evidence of having received such a sum. But if you give a man Jesus and prepare the fellow for Heaven, not only will he be your crown of rejoicing, his own joy will be everlasting. Tel I all who are associated with you that if they are not born again, no matter how religious they are and no matter the position they occupy in church, they cannot enter through the pearly gates of Heaven. Also tell them that if they are born again but they are not living holy, they will also not be able to enter in. You can equally be a blessing by getting the sick healed or getting the needy to have supernatural provision from God through your ministry, but the fellow who is healed today will still die one day and face eternity and the one with abundance today will die and return naked some day. So it is better to give people Jesus and prepare them for Heaven.

The other day, someone was congratulating me that I was nominated as Number one among the living legends in Nigeria and 49th among the world's most influential. I thanked him and replied: Number one in Nigeria, and Number 49 in the world, then Number what in Heaven?" This is what is most important! When Jesus returns, He is not going to ask you what number you were in your country or in the world, but where you are placed in Heaven. If God likes you and gives you good health, you may live up to 120 years on earth but over there, it is forever. If you make it to Heaven, you will enjoy forever but if you go to hell, you will burn throughout eternity. Some years ago, a man attended the Holy Ghost service and met someone he was familiar with there. "So, you too are here?" He asked. "Yes," replied the other man. "Really, for how long?" "For five years" was the reply. Then the man became excited and said: "You mean, you knew the way to Heaven for the past five years and you never told me, yet you call yourself my friend?" Lead all your acquaintances to Jesus today. Don't be like the rich fool!

ACTION POINT

What number are you in Planet Heaven? What are you doing to move up your rating in heaven?

Open Heavens 2012-18 November-POUR OUT YOUR HEART

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 18 November

POUR OUT YOUR HEART

Memorise: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.  Matthew 11:12

Read: 1 Samuel 1:13-18

While describing the way he prayed under a particular circumstance, the Psalmist in Psalms 42:4 says he poured out his soul to God. The phrase, "I pour out my soul" describes the soul like liquid. Depending on the situation, some prayers can take on a casual form while others may wear a garb of seriousness. The intensity of your prayers will defer in a case where you experienced a hitch-free trip compared to when you meet with several difficulties during a trip but eventually arrived safely. The Psalmist in Psalms 130:1-2 talks of calling unto God out of the deep. Somebody said that was Jonahs prayer in the belly of the fish. When there is no imminent danger and you are in the comfort of your air-conditioned bedroom praying, that kind of prayer will be sweet, smooth and leisure-like. But the one in the belly of a fish such as in Jonah's case would definitely be differently. Jonah would have been very aggressive and desperate and must have prayed like a drowning man.

In 1 Samuel 1:13-18, we read that when Hannah was praying, only her lips moved. Some people have used this as an excuse to engage in silent prayers. Bui the truth is, although she was not making a sound, it does not mean that she was not praying aggressively. We could compare this to a situation where an eight-day-old baby boy is circumcised and he is in pains. He cries out in agony and even when he is being given breast to suck, he continues to cry until his voice pales out, yet he will still be crying. Hannah must have cried to the extent of losing her voice. There is an extent you would pray and you would realise you have gotten God's attention. What kind of prayer takes place in your family? How desperate are you? If you can pour out your heart to the Lord without being so mindful of grammar or who is nearby or who is looking or not looking at you, you would get His attention. At the end of the day, what is important is getting answers to prayers and not whether you appear to men as being prayerful. The lord will hear your cry this season. Call on Him!

PRAYER POINT

Using Matthew 11:12 pray that God will grant you grace to express the needed spiritual violence that will deliver answers to you in the place of prayer.

Open Heavens 2012-17 November -Put faith to work

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 17 November

Memorise: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:6

Read: Genesis 15:1-6

The righteous can be identified by their faith in God. The Bible reports that Abraham was counted as righteous because he believed God.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James2:23

Hebrews 11:6 says without faith nobody can please God. If you come to God, you must believe that He exists. Not only that, you must take Him at His Word because He does not break His promises. You must also believe that He will do what He says He would. Faith in God is very paramount in the life of a Christian. The righteous believes every word that comes out of God's mouth or His bona fide servants. If you find it difficult to receive God's Word or to believe certain prophesies that the Lord has declared, your righteousness is questionable. The righteous is a believer in Christ, are you? Abraham's faith in God was so outstanding that it made him to be called: The friend of God. Faith in your God is what elevates you. If you have the key of faith and it is inserted into Jesus Christ-The Door, and turned, it can take you to any height. If there is one thing that Jesus sought as He went about preaching, teaching and healing, it was faith. Faith attracts His presence. One way or another, wherever He finds faith in God, He moves into the situation to salvage it. Beloved, where is your faith? As long as you have someone to depend on for that job placement, contract, appointment, etc., you will be unable to channel your faith towards God. Each time you depend overly on man instead of God, you make Him jealous. He sees anyone you totally depend on as competing for His space in your heart. He might be forced to sever you from such persons. God is the only One you should trust totally. The righteous trust God to the point of foolishness and He never disappoints them. To what extent can you believe God in today's world?




KEY POINT
Different situations call for different levels of faith. In some cases, all you need is just simple child-like faith.

Open Heavens 2012-16 November-What to do

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 16 November

Memorise: But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bustards, and riot sons.  Hebrews 12:8

Read: Hebrews 12:5-11

Apart from telling them what to do to become truly rich, the Lord Jesus Christ also told the Laodicean church to buy eye drops from Him so as to have clear vision (Revelations 3:18). Amos 3:3 says:

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

For two people to work in agreement, they must see and mind the same thing. They must be focused on the same goal. If God is focusing on the greater harvest of souls in your parish and the pastor is focusing on pleasing the members so that he can gel something out of them for himself, you can be sure there will be problems. Today, this is the summary of the state of the church. There are divergent goals. God is looking to the right but we are sometimes looking to the left. If God sees you as non-performing but you see yourself as okay, then there can be no genuine progress. But you can be sure God cannot be wrong in His assessment. You need "spiritual eye drops" to clear your eyes. May you begin to see the same way He sees from today in Jesus name.

As unworthy as this church was, the Lord still loved them. In Revelation 3:19, He says;

If God loves you, one proof of that love is that He will correct you. To rebuke in Greek is to compel a man to see the error of his ways. Psalms 94:12 says the one God chastens is blessed. Hebrews 12:5-11 says God's correction can be quite painful. God can cane you and you will be in tears, yet you know it is all for your good. The same passage says if you say God is your father and He does not correct you whenever you do wrong, then you may have to look for your father; it is obviously not God. Has God used anybody including your parents, colleagues, spouse, children or wards to correct you? It is because God loves you and wants the best for you. If God hates you, He will ask you to be left alone (Hosea 4:17). That means He has washed His hands off that individual. May He never leave you alone! However, how do you respond to His corrections? Do you drag your feet or respond promptly?

ACTION POINT

A true believer accepts correction joyfully. Ask for grace to do so.

Open Heavens 2012-15 November -EXPERIMENTAL PIG

Pst. E. A. Adeboye 15 November

EXPERIMENTAL PIG

Memorise: So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7

Read: 2 Samuel 6:11-12

In 2 Samuel 6:9-11, afraid of the immediate judgement of God on Uzzah who tried to save the Ark of the Covenant from falling, David decided to use somebody else as an experiment. "Who knows Obededom? If he dies, not many people will miss him", he reasoned. Then he told the man, "Please let the Ark of God rest in your house for a while". "It is my greatest honour, sir", Obededom replied. Then, the king sent people to keep an eye on him. "Is he sick? Are members of his family sick?" David asked anxiously. "No my Lord, he and members of his household are doing just fine", some of his spies replied. After they observed him for the first, second and third week, they brought word back to the king: "My Lord, it seems some things are happening with this man but we cannot figure it out yet: let us watch him further". Suddenly, they observed that Obededom who was a nobody gradually became so highly favoured and popular. His health was never better. He and his family no longer complained of sicknesses. The debts the man had been unable to pay were suddenly written off His children who could not go to school for lack of payment of fees have now fully paid for all their years in school. His business had taken a new turn as all the customers had left his competitors to patronise only him. Even his competitors were now coming to find out how he is doing it. Every member of his family were so blessed that they were sharing testimonies every day.

Not long after, people began to think that someone as blessed as Obededom should indeed be a king. At that point, King David told his aides: "Our experimental pig is almost making me totally irrelevant. Please, go and bring me the Ark". Are you an experimental pig? Has your pastor sent you to a dangerous zone he knows he cannot go? Are you left alone in God's hands over your present assignment? Are they expecting you to resign, be frustrated or even ^ on the job? Fear not! As long as you have God's presence with you, very sc you and where you are will become the centre of attraction. The Lord will leave you alone. He will work with you and turn your every effort into gold.




KEY POINT
If men are experimenting with you to reproach you and your God, the Lord will turn it around for your glory and promotion.

Open Heavens 2012-14 November -ENLISTED IN THIS SCHOOL?

 Pst. E.Adeboye 14 November

ENLISTED IN THIS SCHOOL?

Memorise: Strengthened with alt might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness: Colossians 1:11

Read: James 5:7-11

Between a promise and its fulfilment, (here is a waiting period. The same pattern is observable in the natural world. For instance, the gestation period of a woman is normally nine months. She will be full of expectations of seeing what her child will look like, whether it's a boy or a girl, whether the child will resemble her or her husband. Vet, she will not be able to realise all her expectations until the day of delivery. If she decides to go for an operation to deliver the baby after three months because she is so full of expectation, what she will see will not be what she was expecting. While it takes a woman nine months to see the joy in her womb, it takes an elephant almost two years - 22 months, while it takes a rat about 20 days. As it is in the natural world, so is it with us spiritually. If your expectation is small, your waiting period will be short. But if your expectation is very big, then, you might have to enrol into the University of Patience, College of Waiting. In the Department of Records of this college, you will find the list of those who have passed through this school and how long it took them to graduate. You will find Patriarch Abraham who waited for 25 years, Zacharias, etc. Their records will encourage you when they tell you your graduation will be earlier than Abraham's.

Many people enrol into this school but before their graduation day, they dropped out. The Lord will definitely hear your prayer as you enrol in this school, but the question is: Will you still be there when He comes to grant your desire? In Luke 18:8, the Lord asked a question that everyone should answer personally:

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Many have lost their blessings for failing to stay in this school for just one more year or month or one more week or one more day. Will you be ready to wait as s it takes?

KEY POINT

If you enrol in the University of Patience, you are a work-in-progress in God's hands. If you choose not to be there, you are on your own

Open Heaven 2012-13 November-FIRST, THE FRUIT

Pst. E. Adeboye 13 November

FIRST, THE FRUIT

Memorise: For the fruit of the Spirit is in alt goodness and righteousness and truth;  

Ephesians 5:9

Read: 2 Kings 2:23-24

In encounter with the King of glory adds glory into you and changes your life and destiny forever. Take for instance erstwhile blind Bartimaeus who begged for several years in blindness. The day he had an encounter with the King of glory, his garment of shame was forever removed. His blindness and darkness were replaced with sight and light. He never begged again, he was never stagnant again and was never a burden for the rest of his life. Yet, over 2,000 years later, his testimony is still touching lives and stirring them up to receive theirs.

An encounter with the King of glory changes everything, but there is a price to pay. To encounter the King of glory, you must be ready to pray and be prepared for dramatic changes. When Moses asked to see His glory. He told Moses, anyone who sees Him will die. Let us put aside physical death for a moment. If you want to see the King of glory, you must die to the desires of your flesh -anger, laziness, immoral thoughts, etc. If these are not dead in your life, they will rubbish God's glory or anointing in your life. Take for instance Elisha. He got the double portion of the anointing on Elijah. While returning from healing the bad water and barrenness of Jericho, some children mocked him because of his bald head and he cursed them, and they were immediately destroyed. What would their parents say if they got to know he was responsible for the death of their children? Again he became angry with some kings and their armies. The King of glory realised that if He did not do something fast, Elisha would destroy the world, so He withdrew from him for a while. It took him sometime singing and praising God before the power returned, but after that, he learnt his lesson and was never angry again. Some years ago, I asked for double portion of the anointing on Elisha, Peter, Paul and Jesus Christ while on earth, all rolled up together and doubled again. God told me I was courting trouble and asked if I could pay the price. He said If He gives me that anointing, I must never be angry again. This explains why I try not to be angry when people are pushing me here and there. I know what God has put in me and what I am still expecting from Him. Can you control your temper? First concentrate on building the fruit of the Spirit before taking in dangerous levels of the anointing.

KEY POINT

You need the fruit of the Spirit to ensure you don't end up in hell, after receiving and manifesting the gifts of the Spirit.

Open Heavens 2012-12 November-SEED EXPEDITES PROMISES

12 November

SEED EXPEDITES PROMISES

Memorise: Then Isaac sowed in the land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. Genesis 26:12

Read: Genesis 26:12-14

If there is one lesson we ought to learn from Isaac's experience with sowing, it is that even when God's promise has gone ahead of you, sowing is still necessary to expedite action on the promise. In Genesis 26:1-6, God gave Isaac fantastic promises and asked him to stay in Gerar and not go down to Egypt. He promised to bless him in Gerar. Yet, when the famine was biting hard, Isaac sowed in the land.

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. Genesis 26:12 It was after he sowed that God blessed him. The reason some people do not sow today is because God gave them solid promises. Some may tell you, "Because I have great and powerful promises concerning this business, whether I do something or not, God will bring His Word to pass in my life." It does not always work like that! There are some people God gave even bigger promises but they never realised them. At the end, they saw God as a covenant breaker. They were waiting for God to do something but God had already done something by giving them His promises. God was waiting for them to take a step before the blessings will follow but they never did.

Do you know that if Isaac had not sowed the seed, he would either have waited a longer time to see the fulfilment of the promises or would never have realised them at all? The one who really wants to be blessed will give God no excuse for not blessing him or her. That is, he or she will do everything possible '"eluding sowing to provoke the miracle. From Isaac's experience, it is glaring that your seed can hasten the fulfilment of God's promises in your life. The blessing that should come in one, two or more year's time tan be delivered to you now if you sow the right seed. How soon do you want your blessing? In addition, sowing a seed is a sure way of breaking the effects of a famine. Are you going through a famine? What steps have you taken to arrest the situation?

KEY POINT

Promise is not enough. A provoking action muse follow the promise to convert it into reality.