Tuesday 30 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 30 April 2013 HAVE FAMILY VALUES By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 30 April 2013 
HAVE FAMILY VALUES 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thy heart” Proverbs 3:3
Read: Proverbs 3:1-4
Bible in one year:  Luke 18-21
Key point: Values make children, homes communities and nations. Every value you fail to teach your child could create a vacuum that would be suffered by the Nation in time to come.

After Vashti was deposed, Ahasuerus needed a replacement queen. He did not look for just any young lady but specifically invited all the pretty virgins to his palace for a contest. Speaking of virgins, it is common knowledge that virgins are products of good homes. When you see a virgin, the first thing that comes to mind is that she must have come from a very good and disciplined home. Children are a reflection of their parents. Good children are products of good homes. On the other hand, good homes are products of great values. In a good home, the fear of God is taught to every member of that family.
‘‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
Every child must be taught about God who ¡s the Creator of all things. They must also be taught that He has laid down laws by which we must live on earth, and that He rewards the obedient but punishes the disobedient. You should provide scriptural examples on how God rewards and punishes these classes of people. Similarly, great values must be adopted from the Bible and made to be part of the principles that govern that home. An example is chastity - keeping your body from every form of sexual defilement. Another is hard work - putting in your all at work or school in order to excel. Also, respect for elders and obedience to authorities at home, community school, work or government. A child must also be taught contentment – being satisfied with whatever is available and using only legitimate means to acquire wealth or to make progress. Children must be taught hygiene and to avoid dirty habits. They must learn to handle domestic chores themselves no matter how many servants that are employed in that home. Children must be taught to be their brother’s keeper and learn to be neighbourly and relate well with fellow human beings. Merit and order must be a priority. Children must learn to follow a time table where everything is done at the right time and place to avoid time wastage. Every child must be taught their rights, privileges and obligations. They must know their limits. They must be brought up to tell the truth always and reject lies. They must learn etiquette and acceptable ways of behaviour in public places, table manners while eating and how to handle disputes and crises. They must be very respectful and know how to exchange pleasantries, must be polite and prayerful. What values are you bringing your children up with Teach your child on choosing friends and the books to read, programmes to watch, places to go and places not to go.
 

Monday 29 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Monday 29 April 2013 THERE FOR A REASON By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Monday 29 April 2013 
THERE FOR A REASON 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “And who knoweth whether thou hath come to the Kingdom for such a time as this?”Esther 4:14
Read: Esther 4:10-14
Bible in one year:  Luke 14-17
Prayer point: Father, the purpose for taking me to my present level, and for blessing me so much, let me fulfill it. Lord, may You never regret Your investments in my life.

In Esther 2:1-4, so many young and beautiful virgins entered in for a beauty pageant and Esther emerged winner and became queen. Although initially she did not know why she was the winner, but much later, when the Jews had their very existence threatened, she worked hand in hand with Mordecai to bring about their deliverance. A non-Jewish virgin could have won the contest, but because God needed a vessel to facilitate the deliverance of His people right at the palace, He gave Esther uncommon favour before Hegal and the king, and the royal crown was set upon her head (Esther 2:8-1 7). This tells us that when God favours you above others to receive a particular thing, opportunity or blessing, He has a purpose. He needed a saviour for physical deliverance of the Jews so He chose Esther. God does not release His favours just for fun. If you are sensitive enough, you will sense that God has a purpose for making you the pastor ¡n the midst of others. You would also want to know why you were so favoured so that you do not bungle the whole process. When God releases His grace upon an individual, it ¡s to accomplish certain tasks. You may not believe this, but some people are using their God- given grace meant for something to accomplish something else. You were chosen not for you rself but to satisfy He who chose you. You were appointed into that office to take care of His interests. Why are you pursuing your personal interests? God anointed some of His children to heal, save and deliver the oppressed but they are using the anointing to make merchandise of the people God sent them to deliver. You are ¡n the parish, area, zone, province or region for a purpose. Have you cared to find out from God why He brought you to the place you are? If you ask, He will reveal it to you. And when this ¡s done, that will become your goal in that organisation. You are ¡n that house fellowship or department for a purpose. Queen Esther fulfilled her purpose for being queen, have you fulfilled yours? You will not disappoint God. The Lord will open your eyes to see why He has put you where you are, and give you the grace to do His bidding.

Sunday 28 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Sunday 28 April 2013 COMMITTED TO UNBROKEN LINK By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Sunday 28 April 2013 
COMMITTED TO UNBROKEN LINK 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: If a man abideth not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6
Read: Genesis 39:7-12
Bible in one year:  Luke 10-13
Key point: Why believers toy with sin is because they see it differently from how God sees it. Ask that you will see sin the way God sees it as from today.
 
1f you want to sec the power of God ¡n your life and I ministry, then work on your commitment. The commitment of some people does not go beyond lips service as their heart ¡s saying something else. When the Lord met sonic of such people - Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 15:1-9, He told them what God had said about them and the ed of that kind of commitment. Verse 8 says, 
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoured, me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
It is possible to confess closeness to God and to eulogize God while the heart is saying a different thing. If your heart strays whenever you claim to praise or worship God, you are left with just lips praise. Praise from the lips that is not connected with the heart does not go beyond the ceiling. Jesus says everyone whose commitment to God is limited to the lips, is wasting time worshiping God. This applies also to service. Every service you do that ¡s not from a heart of commitment ¡s only a waste of time.
How do you identify someone who is committed to God? And in what area can one be committed to God today? The one who is committed to God will be identified by a commitment to an unbroken link with his or her Source - Jesus Christ. John 15:6 says,
‘‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and ¡s withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
All of Satan’s temptations are summarily targeted at breaking you from the Vine. If the kingdom of darkness succeeds ¡n doing this, you will lose all you have received from God and become vulnerable to their plans. Sister, see beyond that man who ¡s trying to lure you into immorality: the devil’s real purpose is to separate you from Christ, to make you an enemy of your strongest Ally. One person who knew this well was Joseph. When God favoured him and he became the chief of servants In Potiphar’s house, Satan decided to work through his masters wife to severe him from his source. He realized this and took to his heels. He preferred to go to prison for a crime he did not commit, than to have his freedom but be cut off from his source. Joseph saw sin as a great wickedness to the One who has been so good to him. Joseph is a true example of somebody whose commitment to his source 1S not shaken no matter the circumstances. Are you committed to your Source? How Jealously are you guarding your salvation? How do you see sin?

Saturday 27 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 27 April 2013 BENEFITS OF REVELATIONAL GIFTS By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 27 April 2013 
BENEFITS OF REVELATIONAL GIFTS 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” 1Corinthians 12:31
Read: Daniel 2:46-49
Bible in one year:  Luke 7-9
Prayer point: Father, give me the gifts of the Holy Spirit and let them begin to manifest in my life and ministry for Your glory

You cannot underestimate the benefits of the revelational gifts in the life (A an individual, group or nation. When God reveals a bit of knowledge to you, to enable you  solve a particular problem, you may be regarded as some god. If you doubt it, take a look at the life of Daniel. After he successfully interpreted the kings dream, the king fell down and worshipped him, asking that incense be offered to him. This is a trap. No matter what God reveals to and through you, never share ¡n the glory. Give it all to Him. Also, never allow man to turn you into God. if you do, you will turn God against you. However, as can be seen in today’s reading, even though the king recognised that it was the God of Daniel that revealed the dream to him and his colleagues, he began to relate with Daniel as he would relate with God. The revelational gifts can bring uncommon honour to you but be very careful not to accept worship of men, or take what should only go to God - all the glory! Another benefit of the revelational gifts ¡s that it can deliver you from sudden death. If Daniel and his colleagues were not able to provide the interpretation of the dream, they and all the wise men of Babylon would have paid dearly with their lives. Do you know that God can still use this gift to deliver you from death? Also, it can make you great. Daniel suddenly became great and was given great gifts. This gift attracts great gifts and greatness. It can also bring you promotion like they got. Daniel became chief
governor among the governors while his friends were put in charge of the affairs of Babylon. The revelational gifts will bring you before the high and mighty and set you up in their midst. The gifts can also bring you tremendous prosperity. But beware; the gifts are not for merchandising. You do not sell the gifts. In addition, these gifts can help you to escape from danger as you will foresee the danger. If you are able to see the exact place where the enemy is setting a trap for you, when you get close, you will know how  to escape. May the Lord release these revelational gifts to you this season. How hungry are you for these gifts?

Friday 26 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 26 April 2013 SELF OR GOD? By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 26 April 2013 
SELF OR GOD? 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” 2Timothy 3:2
Read: Judges 16:26-30
Bible in one year:  Luke 4-6
Prayer point: Father, I yield completely to Your Spirit form today. Lord, have Your way in my life.
 
One of the articles of Samson’s last prayers from today’s readings is , I want to avenge myself of my eyes. This statement tells us one major reason Samson became an ex-chmpion: he was self-centred. His thoughts were ever centred on himself. For instance,  he earlier asked for a woman whose background contravened the rule of God for his lifestyle because she pleased him well. He also promised to deal with his in-laws because they gave his wife to somebody else. Even while asking for restoration, it was to enable him avenge himself for the eyes that the enemies plucked out. As a believer, we must be very careful about what we do and especially about our motives. If you take a look at the characteristic traits of the last days, you will notice that selfishness and self centredness play a major role.
This, know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 2 Timothy 3:1-4
A life that is given to pleasure is a self-centred life. Are you a self-lover or God lover? The truth is, in this generation, self has been glorified to the level of God. Self-gratification is the overriding motive behind most activities people are engaged in. The love for God has taken a back burner if at all it is present. If you love God, He will be uppermost in your thoughts, deeds and plans. Everything else will be secondary. Pleasing God will be your focus and you will not mind the cost. If you are God centred, you will want to know His will for your life in every area. In situations where you express your personal will, it will not supersede that of God. Where there is conflict between your will and God’s will, you will yield to God’s will for your life like it happened with Jesus in the Garden at Gethsemane (Luke 22:3946). One thing you must know about self is that self can drive you in a direction opposite where God is taking you. Self is driven by lust but God consciousness is driven by love. If you re God-centred, you will easily achieve divine tasks. But if you are self -centred, you will expect people to pay you for working for God. If you want to know what you will benefit personally from a Kingdom assignment before you engage in it, this simply shows that you are governed by self. Retrace your steps today.

Thursday 25 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 25 April 2013 DIGGING BY MEDITATION By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 25 April 2013 
DIGGING BY MEDITATION 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” Luke 2:19
Read: Luke 2:15-19
Bible in one year:  Luke 1-3
Prayer point: Pray for war-ravaged nations, that the peace of God will be experienced by them, and that the Gospel will thrive there.
 
Hearing the Word of God is very crucial to receiving freedom. Aside hearing the Word in the church, you can effectively utilise your free periods to listen to audio Bible. When you do this often, not  only will you easily memorise scriptures, hut also there would be no space for evil thoughts to hibernate in your heart. If you do not have the Bible in audio format, you can read the Bible audibly to yourself regularly. Each Word that comes into your spirit man gives you life from above. How often do you hear the Word? In addition to hearing, you must mediate on the Word you have heard until you understand it. When the Word comes, it comes with divine light, ready to give understanding to those who  think upon it (Psalm 119:130). If all you do is hear or read the Word, you will just be scratching the surface of God’s treasures. As mineral resources are usually below the surface of the earth, so also are the depth of the riches and treasures of the Kingdom inaccessible from mere hearing or reading the Word. Why do you think Psalm 1:1-3 says the one who meditates on the Word is blessed? It is because of the limitless treasures that the fellow will have access to. If you go through scriptures, you will find that not too many blessings are offered or pronounced on those who hear or merely read the Word. It is what you want to get from the Word of God that will determine whether you will just hear, read or mediate on it. If you want to be connected to an unending source of power, or you want to produce fruit in your season, if you do not want to experience dryness but desire whatever you lay your hand upon to turn to gold, then you need to meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 1:1-3). If you want to have success at its best - excellence, then you cannot ignore meditating on God’s word both day and night (Joshua 1:8). When you meditate, you ponder on God’s Word. One thing that Mary the mother of Jesus knew how to do was to ponder on God's Word and on things concerning Jesus (Luke 2:19,51). No wonder she got the revelation that there is power in the words of Jesus. With this revelation, she preempted Jesus and told the ushers at the marriage in Canna of Galilee to obey whatever Jesus tells them, no matter how stupid it sounds, hence water became
wine (john 2:1-11). Do you make time to think on the word, God’s actions and promises? If you can do this day and night, prepare for great things from God.

Wednesday 24 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Wednesday 24 April 2013 A DESERTER? By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


Memorise: “And Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hands on the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
Read: Luke 9:57-62
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 24-27
Key point: If God has assigned you to a task, that is what He will reward you for. Do it faithfully whether it is easy or difficult
 
Apart from parasites and loafers, the Commander-in-chief of the’ Heavenly army does hot like deserters. Once you sign into God’s army, there is no looking back. This is why in the armour available for soldiers listed ¡n Epheslans 6:13-17, there Is no armour for our backs. This means, the day you turn your back to the enemy, you are finished. It ¡s against the rule of our warfare; for enemies are not supposed to see your back. This also implies there is no room to chicken out. Considering the size, military might and invincible weaponry available to you as a bona fide member of God’s army, and God’s track record of victories, you have no excuse to throw in the towel. Hence, Luke 9:62 says, “And jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God”
This means, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord, stay with Him and don’t go back to the devil or your past self government. This also extends to your service. That ¡s, whatever God has assigned you to do, never stop except He says so. Once in a while, God can move you from one assignment to another, or add to what you are presently doing. However, never move yourself away from an assignment God has given to you.
It is surprising to know how many people leave their primary assignment for a self-assigned task. These too are deserters. Increasingly, money is becoming a major factor in determining what ¡s done, where it is done and how ¡t is done. Although money ¡s important for propagating the Gospel, it should however not take the place of the Holy Spirit. Some people when told to go and evangelise would reply: ‘I don’t have money’. What amount do you need to evangelise to your next door neighbour? There are some churches and ministries who being motivated by gain, decide to relocate or plant parishes only in high-brow areas so as to attract the rich. Remember that Jesus Christ died for the poor also. If your ministry excludes ministering to the poor and need you are a deserter of some sort, and led by something else other than the Holy Spirit. Have you abandoned any assignment God earlier committed into your hands, repent and return today. God ¡s prepared to back you in the task He has given to you, and not in the one you have taken upon yourself.
 

Tuesday 23 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 23 April 2013 VIRGINITY AND TIMING By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 23 April 2013 
VIRGINITY AND TIMING 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” Psalm 7:17
Read: Psalm 71:16-17
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 20-23
Key point: Ecclesiastes 12:1 says you should remember God now; but if you do so later, He can still use you but you may have cut off a chunk of opportunities that may never be regained
 
If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, you are His virgin. A  virgin is pure and undefiled. But being a virgin ¡s not enough. In Esther 2:2, when virgins were to be brought to take part in the beauty contest at Shushan the palace, they were expected to be beautiful. The Holy Spirit must be allowed to beautify your life with His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Without this, you will be disqualified even as a virgin. Is your life beautiful? Does it reflect the love of God embedded in the fruit with nine parts?
Besides beauty, another quality that must be met has to do with age. The virgins must be young (Esther 2:2).This means every virgin beyond a certain age was disqualified. True, they are virgins. True they are pure and have not been defiled. Yet, if they failed to meet up with the age requirement, they will not be called to the contest. This teaches us that age has a lot to do with our calling. In a number of recruiting organizations today, besides stipulating the academic qualification, the age requirement is clearly spelt out. Usually, they require young graduates preferably less than 25 years. As a result, you have those who satisfy the academic requirement but are over the age bracket disqualified. This has made some to lie concerning their age. From this we learn that Kingdom assignments must be done at the time stipulated by God. You do not do God’s work at your time but at His time. His task has a time requirement attached. So ¡t is not enough to be doing a particular thing for God; the issue is: are you doing it at God’s appointed time? Another lesson here is that there are certain Kingdom assignments that must be done in your  youth: If you don’t do them then, you would have missed out of God’s purpose concerning such tasksThere are certain things that are best done for God ìn your youth. As a youth, you have lots of energy which reduces as  grow older. God wants you to utilise your youthful strength for His glory. Also as a youth, you are very adventurous. God wants you to go on an adventure in the things of the Spirit. Are you a Christian youth? How are you engaged in pleasing  God with all that God has invested in you? God is looking for teens and youths through horn He manifest His glory. Do you qualify? Make yourself relevant today by putting your time at His disposal.
 

Monday 22 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Monday 22 April 2013 SUDDEN RISE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


Memorise: “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like men that dream” Psalm 126:1
Read: Genesis 41:39-44
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 17-19
Prayer point: Father, You changed the levels of Esther, David and Joseph suddenly. Lord, make this season my season of sudden promotion.

Another lesson from the story of Esther ¡s how suddenly God can transform an individual. Not long ago, Esther was a young girl but a nobody, then suddenly she won the beauty pageant and emerged queen. After Esther’s promotion of the one who was used to receiving instruction became the one issuing out instructions (Esther 4:15-17). God is the true source of promotion and He can promote you slowly, quickly or even dramatically. If you receive Jesus into your heart and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, He will suddenly promote you to sit with Him in the heavenly places, and you will begin to rule over the powers of darkness that once dominated OU (Ephesians 1 :1 7-23). This promotion is sudden! Also, a little shepherd boy who was very unimportant in his own family, was promoted overnight to become king: this was how David became one of the most famous kings of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1113). God can move you from a point of being unknown in your small family to a height of national importance. Are you unknown ¡n your family, church, or community? Then you are the one God ¡s seeking to promote. He will promote you suddenly beyond your expectations this season. In Genesis 41 :39-44, we also see how Joseph who was lied against, thrown into prison and forgotten by men, was remembered by God and overnight he was made next ¡n command to Pharaoh. He became the most useful and influential figure in Egypt and beyond. His change came suddenly. Have you been persecuted and forgotten by men? Have people caged you within the prison of their minds? Are you asking when your turn to break through shall come? This season, the Lord will remember you. He will open the prison doors keeping you caged and bring you out. The Lord will lift you up suddenly. Your rise shall be sudden and nothing will stop it in Jesus name. There is a user of this Devotional who has done a lot for God’s Kingdom and made sacrifices for the Lord, yet it appears you have been forgotten for long. Rejoice, your time of divine remembrance has come. The Lord will promote you suddenly and give you the harvests of weds sown over the years. You are a candidate for sudden promotion this season. Worship, praise and thank God for His power to lift you up suddenly.
 

Saturday 20 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 20 April 2013 VIEVING SPIRITUAL SCENES By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 20 April 2013 
VIEVING SPIRITUAL SCENES 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind; the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down; the LORD loveth the righteous” Psalm 146:8
Read: 2Kings 5:20-27
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 11-14
Prayer point: Father, open my eyes to see the invisible, and my hears to hear the inaudible from today.
 
The revelational gifts make you spiritually sensitive. When present, they will make you to hear the inaudible and to see the invisible. It is a great thing to be able to see the invisible. In 2Kings 5:20-27, Elisha sat in his room and suddenly he saw Gehazi his servant running after Naaman. It was as if he was watching a TV. He saw the boy  receiving a lot of money and planning ¡n his heart on how he will start his own ministry and have many servants. When he returned, Elisha asked Gehazi of these things and he denied, but he told him that he saw all that transpired. When you can see into the spirit realm, very little can be hid from you. This gift can also help to reveal what transpired ever before you were born or became relevant ¡n a particular place. Many years ago, while I was just a worker in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we were getting prepared for the evening service when I felt pressed to go to the lavatory. While in the toilet, I looked and on the wall in front of me was something like a scroll, showing like a television screen. In it, I saw the church headquarters and the service was on. I saw two empty seats where the pastors were seated. Immediately the singing ended, a minister came to ask everybody to start praying and as this was on, the pastor and his interpreter came out to the altar. When I got to Ebute Metta that evening, 1 told my father ¡n the Lord – Reverend Akindayomi and he put his hands on his head. He called the pastors around to come and asked me to repeat what I just told him. I did and their reaction was similar. Then papa explained that a long time ago, before the preacher and his interpreter took the sermon, they would be in the vestry praying, but that they had stopped doing so, and ¡t showed from this revelation that God wanted us to go back to that order So God can reveal just about anything to you and correct any practice He wants corrected. He can show you places He will take you to later ¡n future. When you eventually get to such a place, one way you will know is that even when you are physically stepping there for the first time, it will look very familiar, you will feel like you have been there before. How often does God reveal things to you? Ask him to remove every hindrance to divine relationship in your life. 
 

Friday 19 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 18 April 2013 TAKING GRACE FOR GRANTED By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 18 April 2013 
TAKING GRACE FOR GRANTED 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “God forbid! How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” Romans 6:2
Read: Romans 6:1-5
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 8-10
Action point: Prayerfully follow up 5 backsliders and lead them back to Christ. Pray that they will not take God’s grace for granted.

Just as certain things are peculiar to champions, ex - champions also have what ¡s common to them. You will not be an ex-champion, but if you are one, the Lord will restore you to a place of relevance in Jesus name. When we look at the prayer of Samson, an ex-champion, we can learn something from it. The first thing he said was, Remember  me oh Lord! Why was he asking to be remembered? it is because people don’t easily remember ex-champions. It is the champion’s crown that is revered by many not the one wearing the crown. So if the crown goes, so goes everything the crown attracted. Samson also said, strengthen me. Strength is an invisible force. If you ask any boxer, he will tell you not to judge a man by his size. Why? Until you are left alone with your opponent, you may never realise how strong he is. There are people who are big but without strength, just as there are slim but powerful people. Isaiah 40:28-30 says God gives power to the faint. Philippians 4:1 3 says you are enabled to do all things by the strength that Jesus supplies. In 1 Kings 1 8:46, God laid His hand on Elijah and he outran a chariot. This season, the Lord will lay His hand on you and enable you to do the impossible. Another thing Samson said was, Strengthen me just this once. We believers ought to learn something from this. He did not ask for restoration several times but just once. Have you been falling and rising? Do note that when Samson fell, he asked for restoration just once. Also, the prodigal son that is so often used to build a mould for backsliders, left home just once according to Luke 1 5:1 1 24. On his way back his father ran to receive him, but he never left home again. Some of us teach that God will always receive the backsliders: but that excludes when you are now taking His grace and love for granted. if you have been a divine champion and you fell, the devil will not want you to rise again. On the other hand, God wants you to reconcile with Him after the fall, but He does not expect you to go on a regular dive înto sin expecting Him to forgive. Hence, Romans 6:1 says, 
“What shall we say then? Shall  continue in sin, that grace may abound?”
And the answer followed: God forbid! The mould that some modern believers are following is the one forbidden by God. If you fell and asked for forgiveness, stay on in Christ. Stop taking grace for granted!

Thursday 18 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 18 April 2013 DEAL WITH THE NOISE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 18 April 2013 
DEAL WITH THE NOISE 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “My son, attend to my words; incline thy hear to my sayings.” Proverbs 4:20
Read: Proverbs 4:20-22
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 5-7
Action point: Satan tries to introduce noise at every stage in the spiritual communication process. It is however left for you not to be distracted by it.
 
To receive your needed miracles, you must hear the Word. Why? Because God’s word goes ahead of God’s acts. When God was to deliver, heal and restore those who sinned  and were afflicted in Psalm 107:17-20, He sent His word. You must check up with the messenger of the word to ascertain whether he or she is sent by God or not. You must also ensure that the word delivered is the same as that which was sent. In the commUfliCatb0r process, you have the Encoder which sends a message through a channel and a Decoder which receives the encoded message and deciphers it to get its meaning. It is when a message has gone through this process without any distortion or noise that the expected feedback can be obtained and the communication process deemed to be complete. However, at every stage of the Communication chain, noise can be introduced. When for instance a prophetic word or word of knowledge is released through a genuine servant of God, if the public address system is faulty, noise is introduced and as a result, the message will not be received by the one the divine communication was meant for. If the sound system is distorted or accompanied with unwanted sound, no meaning will be received from the message passed. This ¡s one reason why ¡n all our churches; there is the need to provide quality speakers, microphones and audio machines. Besides this, there are situations where the audio system is perfect and the word goes forth but the targeted recipient is discussing with someone else, or ¡s even sleeping; how will the fellow benefit from the blessing? It is amazing to know that many children of God do not reverence God’s word. If you truly regard God as your Father, you will not be talking while He is speaking through His servant. When the word of God ¡s being preached ¡n church, there should be absolute silence, except where you are expected to respond to it. Also, you should give ¡t maximum attention. Your body may want you to sleep but this you must resist so that the word of your deliverance will not elude you. Those who miss the word of their deliverance may remain longer ¡n their bondage. Why prolong your day of freedom by yielding to your flesh? If you are feeling sleepy while he word is being delivered, stand up. Pinch yourself. Go and wash your face with water. You can also stroll around until your eyes are cleared. Deal with every noise to your breakthrough!

Wednesday 17 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Wednesday 17 April 2013 NO PARASITES OR LOAFERS By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Wednesday 17 April 2013 
NO PARASITES OR LOAFERS 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “And now  also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Luke 3:9
Read: John 15:1-2
Bible in one year:  Leviticus 1-4
Action point: Pray that God will change every loafer or parasite in  your local assembly into dedicated soldiers in Christ.

Anyone who wants to be a soldier must be prepared go through the worst of terrains, and must be prepared to endure all kinds of difficulties that may come his way such as hunger, exposure to extreme weather, hostilities, separation from comforts, family and loved ones, and even be prepared to die on the battle field. Usually, while courting potential recruits, the difficult parts will be withheld and the fellow will be fed with the good sides - cheap or free food, clothing, travel at government expense and respect if not fear from civilians. By the time the recruit signs on, and gets to the barracks, he would be taken through rigorous training. Some may not be able to endure the training so they will leave the army. Similarly, in the army of God, you must be ready to go through serious difficulties and self-denials and to face the enemies on a head-on collision course. 
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2Timothy 2:3
God’s army ¡s an extremely disciplined one with defined order, structure and government, every recruit must aware of this. The first thing to note here is that Commander-in-chief of the heavenly army is highly intolerant of parasites. Parasites are those who want enjoy the benefits of the Kingdom without contributing their quota. They like the rights and privileges but fail committed to the obligations. According to John 15:1-2,  such parasites will be forcefully taken out. Similarly there is no place for loafers - those who claim to be part of the army but are not ready to make commitment to the Commander in-chief. Are you a child of God but you are doing nothing for the advancement of the kingdom? You are a loafer. A loafer gives more of his or her time to move about and engage in activities that are unimportant and unprofitable. According to Luke 3:9, loafers shall be cut down and end up in hell. That shall not be your portion in Jesus name. Are you a parasite or loafer? It you go from one Gospel church  to another in the name of receiving prayers but when it comes to being committed to the church building project or meeting a need in the church, you move to another church, you are a parasite! God does not tolerate parasites in His army.

Tuesday 16 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 16 April 2013 A FAIR VIRGIN? By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Tuesday 16 April 2013 
A FAIR VIRGIN? 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which ¡sin the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:4
Read: 1Peter 3:1-4
Bible in one year:  2Chronicles 10-13
Prayer point: Father, thank You for saving me. Lord, let Your beauty radiate in and through me that it may attract everyone I should attract into your kingdom.
Those called to take part in the beauty contest at  Shushan the palace during the reign of Ahasuerus were more than just virgins. They were also fair and young.
 “Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, let there be fair young virgins sought for the king.” Esther 2:2
In other words, virgins who were not beautiful were naturally exempted from the pageant. This is about what makes them outstanding among virgins, what makes them attractive. It is common for employers in need of fresh university graduates to request graduates with a second class upper grade, yet they will do everything it takes to grab the very few first class graduates. Those with a second class lower grade will be less appealing to them, while those with third class may hardly be considered. This means, by their grades they are sought or ignored. Their grades either make them attractive or repulsive. What is in your life that is making you attractive? It ¡s not enough to be a virgin. You must be a beautiful virgin. Many sisters spend a lot to be physically attractive but barely do anything about making themselves beautiful inwardly. In the Christian faith, the inner beauty is more important.
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which ¡sin the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:4
Naturally, people are attracted to someone who is beautiful or pretty. There is a natural pull from the beautiful fellow to the beholder. It is not only women that need this inner beauty but every virgin in Christ. When your spirit man is with priceless treasures as meekness and your life will suddenly begin to pull people you, even when you lack physical beauty. If a lady is beautiful but internally ugly, she will repel good coming towards her by her internal state. Even when physical beauty attracts the right men, it takes the the internal beauty to sustain that relationship. It is the fruit of the spirit that beautifies virgins; this is why you must give every attention to prayerfully and practically cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, without which you will be disqualified from heaven’s contests.

Sunday 14 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Sunday 14 April 2013 PRIDE DRAINS THE PROUD By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Sunday 14 April 2013 
PRIDE DRAINS THE PROUD 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise:  “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on the hill cannot be hid” Matthew 5:14
Read: Matthew 5:14-16
Bible in one year:  2Chronicles 4-6
Action point: Pray that in places where cannibalism is still life, God will expose and bring an end to such devilish practice.
 
The human body is weak and fragile yet there are some of its parts that are even more delicate. There are at least seven of such delicate body parts namely the heart, liver, kidney, lung, tongue, eardrum and the eyes. Of these seven, some of them are more  protected than others. The eardrum is slightly tucked in. The lungs are barricaded by strong, bony rib cage. The heart, liver and kidneys are slightly concealed. One part that is least protected is the eyes, hence they are very vulnerable. If you consider the eyelids as some form of protection, remember they are very limited in what they can do, since they cannot resist any sharp object that tries to prick the eyes. So of all these sensitive body parts, the eyes need extra protection. In Psalm 17:8, David the popular psalmist prayed,
‘Keep me as the apple of thy eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,”
 This is a very important prayer. For God to keep you as the apple of his eyes means that you want to become His favourite so that He can jealously watch over you. At this point, let us look at the role of the eyes to the body. First, we see with our eyes and in the same way, God wants to see the world through us. Speaking of this, Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14
The whole world lies in darkness but for the presence of believers. If you have received Jesus Christ the light of the world into your heart, you automatically become a light of the world. So when God looks at the dark world, He will be able to see the world by the number of tiny lights dotting it. In Genesis 18:20-32, God told Abraham that ¡f He could see 10 tiny dots of lights, He would spare Sodom and Gomorrah. This implies that, ¡f we  could have enough dots of lights ¡n Nigeria or any nation of the earth, and they are shinning as they are supposed to shine, God will spare our nations, and things would be very different from what they have been. Are you shining as the light you were created to be? Or has darkness absorbed your glow? Get back on your feet and redirect yourself to Christ today! Live right before God, please Him in all things and spread the Good news  of Jesus, and you will shine like the bright ness of the firmament.
 

Saturday 13 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 13 April 2013 CONNECTING HEAVENLY BROADCASTS By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 13 April 2013 
CONNECTING HEAVENLY BROADCASTS 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “And Elijah said unto Ahab, get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain”1Kings 18:41
Read: 1Kings 18:41-46
Bible in one year:  2Chronicles1-3
Prayer point: Father, make me sensitive to heaven’s communications. Henceforth, let events never take me by surprise.
 
The gift of prophesy entails being told or shown future events by God. What are the implications of such revelation gifts? It is to enable you see the invisible and to hear the inaudible. Believe it or not, when we gather in God’s presence, there are big, angelic beings in our midst and around us. One reason God may not want to show them to us is so that we do not become frightened or distracted. Because angels are usually of great size, if your eyes are open to see them, the first thing they will say to you is, Fear not.  This season, the Lord will open your eyes to see angels and they will minister effectively to you. All around us, we are surrounded and bombarded with messages in the air waves from local, national and international radio and television stations as well as the Internet. If you look at the sky, you will see nothing because these broadcasts are invisible, but if you have the appropriate equipment, and begin to tune to the different stations, you will be amazed at the number of information that is passing through the airwaves that the fellow who lacks such equipment may be completely oblivious of. In the same way, there is so much information being transmitted from the heavenly ‘radio and television stations’. God is constantly speaking: He can be saying so much yet you may be unable to hear a single word because you lack the right equipment. It takes possessing one or more of the revelational gifts to enable you hear the inaudible and see the invisible. In IKings 18:41 , Elijah told Ahab to go and eat and stop worrying because he has heard the sound of the abundance of rain. Nobody else could hear that sound because they did not have the gift. The truth is, when a major earthshaking event is about to take place, the heavens will be pregnant with this information. If you can key into the spirit, you can spiritually sense what is coming. Do you know you can sense your turnaround? You can sense your breakthrough with the help of these gifts. Ask God for the revelational gifts today.

Friday 12 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 12 April 2013 PRIDE DRAINS THE PROUD By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 12 April 2013 
PRIDE DRAINS THE PROUD 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “When pride cometh, then cometh shame. But with the lowly is wisdom” Proverbs 11:2
Read: Proverbs 11:1-3
Bible in one year:  Romans 12-16
Prayer point: Father, every element of pride that will reduce me to an ex-champion, please take it away from me today.

Another pain of ex champions is loneliness, While maintaining their lead positionin wherever they go, virtually everyone would like to touch them, shake their hands, take photographs with them and get their autographs. But when they become ex champions, people would see them and face the opposite direction. One of my daughters was occupying a hot seat ¡n an organization. She was the toast of the high and mighty and that of her colleagues. She got their attention and received gifts from many because they depended on her for certain favours. You can imagine what happened when she was moved from that seat; all the attention, care, pleasantness and gifts immediately shifted to the next person occupying that position. She could not believe the speed with which those courting her favours took their flight. It was then she realized that people did not really regard her but the seat she occupied, and they did not really care about her, but about
what they were to derive from her. She realised how vain people were.
Have you ever wondered why rulers particularly in Africa never want to leave office? Many African presidents and governors never want to leave their offices because when you are a champion, people can stop vehicles from plying a particular road just to honour you. Loneliness can kill. When Samson lost his seat, he was alone in prison, grinding corn. What of poverty? While a champion, people will readily use your name or picture to sell any commodity, but the moment you are no more a champion, nobody will buy such items with your name on it. There was this brother named Sam. He was a divine champion. He could not speak English but one day, he was invited to preach in a teacher training college. As he opened his mouth, he began speaking fluent English for an hour and thereafter, many answered the altar call. He was full of the Holy Spirit and raised three dead people to life. His mother was in a cult and she reported him because he burnt
her charms. On one fateful night, she did not sleep ¡n the house while her cult members sent a dog to kill him. It entered while he was praying with the doors locked, and he shouted the name of Jesus and lightning struck ¡t dead. By the following morning, when his mother returned to the house expecting to meet her dead son, she found him roasting the dog. Yet, after all his exploits, pride entered him and he later ended up in an asylum. Pride can erode all your strength and gains and turn you into an ex-champion like the devil. Never let ¡t come into you! In Christ, you can remain relevant.

Thursday 11 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 11 April 2013 MESSAGE: MIND YOUR SOURCE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 11 April 2013 
MESSAGE: MIND YOUR SOURCE 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard! And how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14
Read: Romans 10:13-15
Bible in one year:  Romans 9-11
Prayer point: father, as Your servant, let Your word come alive through me to those You are sending me to.

From John 8:31-32 We understand that: revelation received from God’s Word brings about freedom. It is the truth of God’s Word that sets free. You must be ready to continue ¡n His Word. How do  you continue  in His word? First by constantly hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:14 says, 
“How then shalt they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” 
In the above scripture, we see a link among certain variables the preacher, the message, hearing, believing and salvation; these are all interconnected. What you hear is a function of who ¡s preaching or teaching the Word.
Romans 1 0:1 5 says for you to hear the good news that will deliver your desired freedom, the preacher must be sent. Are you a man or woman of God? Congratulations! But were you sent? If yes, who sent you? Is it God, Satan, self or circumstances? The message that a preacher preaches is determined to a large extent by the one sending him or her.
If you receive a message from the one who is sent by Satan, self or circumstances, what you hear will not deliver freedom to you. That does not mean that they will not preach the Word of God. They will, but when the Word of God is coming through such preachers, they will be the originators of the message and not God. A true servant of God ¡s a voice of the Lord one through whom a divine message originating from God is delivered. When God has not sent you, you do not really have a message. In fact, God places a curse on those who say God said what He did not say (Ezekìel 13:13; Jeremiah 23:31 32). If you  come under teachers having itching ears, you will be misled by what you hear. When the Word of God is preached by those who are not sent by God. the Spirit of the Word ¡s removed, leaving the letters that cannot deliver the hearers. But when the Word of God through a man who is sent by God, it comes with the Spirit and power of the Word, and assumes the original form as when God said it, which is why it accomplishes its purpose.
Receiving prophecies from those not sent b God  it  brings you into greater boundage rather than set you free. Mind where you hear the Word of God! The source can distort the message.

Monday 8 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Monday 8 April 2013 JESUS SHARES HIS THRONE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Monday 8 April 2013 
JESUS SHARES HIS THRONE 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “And I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto Me” Luke 22:29
Read: Luke 22:28-29
Bible in one year:  Isaiah 37-39
Key point: The poorest believer in Christ is richer than the richest man on earth
 
When we look at the oiler of Ahasuerus of up to half of his kingdom to his kingdom, we marvel at his generosity (Esther 5:1-3). He was so pleased with her that he was prepared to share his kingdom with her. That is very magnanimous! Do you know that Jesus Christ has also offered to share His Kingdom with His favourites His bride? Romans 8:1 7 says,
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
The fact that you have become a child of God makes you a joint-heir with Christ and therefore a co-owner of all that He has. Beloved, no matter how impoverished it seems you are, always remember that you are a co-owner of everything that Jesus has. You surely are extremely rich! In Matthew 19:28, when Peter asked Jesus what will be their gain for leaving everything to follow Him, the Lord replied that they will sit on 1 2 thrones and have a share ¡n His Kingdom. In Revelation 3:21, the Lord says, 1ð70 him that overcometh will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. The import of this promise is simply breathtaking!   Jesus Christ overcame and so God the Father made Him to sit with Him and co-rule from His throne. And now He says for all who will overcome like He did, they will share His throne with Him! Praise God! If you can deny yourself, make Jesus happy and exercise your victory over sin, Satan and the world, one day, you shall see yourself sitting on the same throne with the Lord Jesus, reigning with Him. Beloved, you must do everything in your power and beyond your power not to miss this opportunity. Unlike the offer of Ahasuerus and King Herod, which if effected will be in effect as long as they lived; the promise of Christ to His followers for eternity! Today, some people have opportunities to serve under earthly kings but they turn down such offers because they do not want to soil their hands or tarnish their ¡mage. The kingdom that everyone who is politically inclined should aspire to be a part of is Christ’s eternal Kingdom. If  you can be so favoured to co-reign with Christ, you will be eternally relevant. Don’t miss this opportunity for anything!
 

Saturday 6 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional FridSaturday 6 April 2013 PROPHECY By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional FridSaturday 6 April 2013 
PROPHECY 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “Surely, the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth his secrets unto His servants the prophets” Amos 3:7
Read: 1Corinthians 12:10-12
Bible in one year:  Isaiah 31-33
Action point: there are people God must inform of future events before they happen. Ask God to make you one of them, promising to pay the price.
 
Another part of the revelationaal gifts ¡s the gift of prophecy. Without any doubt, God knows everything r about everyone He has created, and He knows the end of a thing right from the beginning. Acts 1 5:1 8 says, I known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” You are one of the works of God’s hands and He knows exactly how you will end ever before He created you. May you end well in Jesus name. Revelation 1 :8 says God ¡s the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending. The gift of prophecy is I therefore said to be in operation when God tells His servant things that will happen ahead of time. This involves having a pre-.knowledge of events - which is just a bit of God’s inexhaustible sea of knowledge. God likes to give away such information, only that He has too few friends He can give them to. Amos 3:7 says,
“Surely, the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
It is sometimes good to know ahead of time about events, the plans of God concerning them and that of the enemies. This will help you respond to them appropriately - either to prepare for their arrival if they are good, or to counter them and possibly prevent their occurrence ¡f they are negative. On the other hand, knowing everything beforehand may elicit negative responses such as sadness, depression, etc., especially if ¡t is a negative event that cannot be reversed. But generally, if you know of crucial, destiny-evoking events beforehand, ¡t will give you the opportunity to change them if they are unpleasant. For instance, on the 31 st of December of a recent year, I told the church some things that God said would happen. He said there would be civil unrest and civil war. Within one week of the release of that information, we began to see its fulfillment in places like Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, etc. If not for the prayers of the saints in and outside Nigeria for
Nigeria, going by Satan’s plan for Nigeria, we will not be able to gather together as we did that same year. Every negative prophecy against your life shall not stand ¡n Jesus name. Ask God for grace to be trusted by God to the point of sharing His secrets with you before they manifest. On your part, ¡f you can obey God, love Him, worship Him and be discreet with divine information, He will begin to tell you things before their time.

Friday 5 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 5 April 2013 PAINS OF EX-CHAMPIONS-2 By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Friday 5 April 2013 
PAINS OF EX-CHAMPIONS-2 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” 1Corinthians 9:27
Read: Psalm 79:9-10
Bible in one year:  Isaiah 28-30
Prayer point: Father, you said I shall be the head only. Let me never be an ex-champion in Jeus name.
 
When Samson lost his saviour, he was thrown ¡nto darkness and became a slave of the people he once terrorized. Have you been casting out devils and setting the captives free? Then you must never lose your worth or else, the same demons you dealt with will he waiting to have their pound of flesh. 1f you must know something about the devil, it ¡s that he has no love and so he cannot forgive. The best way to overcome his attacks and reprisal attacks ¡s to remain a champion on the side of Jesus Christ. It ¡s very important you maintain your position. Take a cue from football: When the Nigerian national football team the Green Eagles were victorious over their opponents, they were renamed as the Golden Eagles and their praise was on the lips of virtually everyone. But when they eventually lost out, instead of a heroic arrival, nobody knew when they entered Nigeria. Whenever you are tempted, be it ¡n the secret or in the open, always remember that you are a champion, and that ¡t is very distasteful to be an ex-champion. In Hebrews
11 :25, we learn that at best you can enjoy the pleasure of sin only for a moment, yet the shame that follows can be beyond your lifetime. Besides the shame, what of the ridicule of being called an ex-champion? Do you know that ex-champions face the exact opposite of what the’ went through while still champions? How? While still the reigning champions, many of them try to avoid going through public places because of their popularity. There are even those who disguise themselves before appearing in public as people will not allow them to be themselves. That is on the positive side. On the other side, if such a champion is defeated and becomes an ex-champion, to avoid being ridiculed, he will also begin to hide from the public. One question ex-champions are asked is: Where is now your God? In Psalm 79:9-10, David told God never to allow the world ask him this question. In other words he as saving he did not want to be an ex-champion. It you prayed in the past and sicknesses and demons took their leave, but now you say the same prayer and sicknesses and demons refuse to leave, ask yourself what has gone  wrong: where Is the presence of the Spirit in your life? Do everything possible to remain the champion that you are.
 

Thursday 4 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 4 April 2013 PLANTED IN HIS COURTS By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Thursday 4 April 2013 
PLANTED IN HIS COURTS 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God”
Read: Psalm 92:12-15
Bible in one year:  Isaiah 25-27
Key point: You can identify those who are planted by God in a church by how much their lives positively affect members, God’s work and the Kingdom
 
True freedom is desired by all but experienced only by a few, For you to be free, you must follow a particular path. You must be ready to continue in the words of Christ (John 8:31 -32). To continue means to stay with, dwell on, or to abide with the words of Jesus. This is why Psalm 91:1 says,
‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’
This means, as long as you remain in God’s presence, you are free and protected. Watch it! The devil will try several ways of drawing you out of Gods presence so that he can get you into bondage. Psalm 23:6 says as long as you dwell in God’s house, you will continue to experience God’s goodness and mercies, while Psalm 92:13 says that what guarantees your prospering to the level of flourishing is your ability to remain planted firmly established in God’s house. (here are many people who are visitors or guests in God’s house. They probably think they are doing someone a favour by attending church. They go to church to make somebody sappy. Some go to church only when they are In need of spiritual, material or financial assistance. But whenever somebody in that church offends them, they will want to get even - by not going to that church again. Some others go to church just to socialize-to make friends. If their friend leaves the church, off they go! Some attend church just as Cove, up: they may be into something evil but believe that if they attend church, their evil deeds may not be discovered. Why are you in church? Some people do not mind being in church for donkey years as an ordinary member but when it comes to being committed, they will take their leave. Those that will partake of God’s enduring blessings protection and freedom are those who are permanent residents in God’s house. They are so planted there that no excuse can make them leave. Their lives revolve around God, God’s house and kingdom They have made their greatest commitment to God; their allegiance is to the King of Kings. His interest is their interest, His likes their likes. What He hates they hate. Nothing so attractive can draw them out of God’s presence. No wonder, Cod does not withhold any blessing from them. What is your level of devotion to God? Let your allegiance be from today!
 

Wednesday 3 April 2013

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Wednesday 3 April 2013 REQUESTS: CREATE THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE By Pastor E. A. Adeboye


RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Wednesday 3 April 2013 
REQUESTS: CREATE THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE 
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: “And these signs shall follow them that believeth; in My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues” Mark 16:17
Read: Mark 16:15-18
Bible in one year:  Isaiah 22-24
Key point: Jesus and His disciples casted out devils. If you are like them, you too will cast out devils. How many devils have you casted out since you believed?

If you will succeed as a soldier ¡n God’s army, you must know how to relate with the devil and his cohorts. We are commanded to steadfastly resist the devil. This is a true statement, but according to 1 Peter 5:8, before doing so, we must he sober and vigilant. Being sober has everything to do with having coordinated, solemn thoughts. A drunk for instance, is not a sober minded fellow. You must be able to think seriously and be in your right mind. This means that those who are under the influence of alcohol once in a while will find it difficult to resist the devil. Lf you are a very emotional fellow, you will find ¡t challenging to resist the devil. You need to be thinking right to be able to overcome the devil. Similarly, to be vigilant is to be alert, watchful, looking out for possible danger, trouble or attack. In other words, a vigilant fellow ¡s proactive: he preempts the attack of the enemy and moves ahead to forestall them. 1f you are always on the defensive, you would have been taken in one of Satan’s traps before realizing it. Be on your guard always! As a soldier of the cross, God expects you to dislodge agents of darkness, even before they get at you. Some believers brand themselves deliverance ministers whereas deliverance ¡s part of what every Christian is called to do. According to Mark 16:1518, you do not need to be a minister to cast out devils; from the day you receive Jesus Christ, if you have acquired knowledge about your new position ¡n Christ, you can easily cast out demons. Casting out demons is deliverance. When last did you command demons out of a given individual or situation? God has empowered you at salvation and much more at Holy Spirit baptism. He now expects you to locate those who need deliverance so that you can deliver them. Take the battle to the gates of the enemy, break it down and liberate the captives. You should be a terror to the kingdom darkness. They should fear you or quake whenever t hear of you. How is it with you today? \hat are you using the power of the Holy Spirit to do? How many souls have you won? The greatest deliverance an individual can have is deliverance from sin. How many sick people have you channeled the healing anointing to? Are you proactive or reactive? It shall be well with you.