RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 15 February 2013 TIME TO HIDE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 15 February 2013 

TIME TO HIDE  

By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand” John 10:39

Read: John 10:30-40

Bible in one year: Joshua 7-9

Prayer point: Father, grant me the grace to rest when I should and to fight at the right time”  

Elijah descended from Mount Carmel when he had called down fire and rain, and ran by the power of the Spirit ahead of the king’s horse-driven chariot, Then he heard that  queen Jezebel  was out to kill him and he ran. Hem kept running till his feet could carry him no more. Tired and exhausted from his flight, he told God to call him to glory. While sitting under a juniper tree, he slept off from his exhaustion. An angel came to wake him up giving him food and water. He ate, drank and slept again. Later the angel came again and set food before him, waking him up from his sleep. He took the meal and was revived. His hope arose and he embarked on a journey which took him 40 days and nights nonstop till he encountered the Almighty God on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 1 9:4-8).

This story is an interesting one we can learn several things from. Here was the most dreaded and highly respected prophet of God who had been mightily used of God. Only recently, he defeated and destroyed 450 Baal prophets and turned backsliding Israel back to God. But now he was in a dilemma. The first thing we learn from this story is that the higher you go in the faith, the bigger your temptations and trials. Also, the more anointed you are, the greater the forces of darkness that will be released against you. Yet, no matter the opposing forces or level of depression or discouragement, there is victory for you in Christ Jesus. We also learn that if you defeat the kingdom of Satan in any contest, do not rest on your oars: expect reprisal attacks from any of Satan’s standing army. Another lesson here is that in the midst of intense opposition calling for your head as a child of God; it is sometimes a wise thing to retreat temporarily in order to re-attack the kingdom of darkness subsequently. 1f you look at the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, there were several attempts to seize Him and take Him before the appointed time. He resisted such attempts. When the Jews were so incensed against Him that they wanted Him dead, He sneaked out of their midst to another location and when an area became too hot, He went to a far-away location so that He could continue the work of the Father. We need to apply wisdom and work very closely with the holy Spirit on this matter so that We do not retreat when we should continue to fight, or continue the fight when we should retreat. Ask for God’s wisdom at all times even in the midst of doing God’s will. It is essential.