OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: SIN-DOMINATED?

Memorise: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not
under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14

Read: Romans 6:1-6,
6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 
6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 
6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 
6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 
6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Bible in one year:
Hosea 1-5,
Matthew
5:43-6:15

MESSAGE:
Mankind is the epitome of God’s creative art. He was created by God
to have dominion over all things (Genesis 1:26). God did not design
man for sin, neither should sin have dominion over man (Romans
6:14). Sin is an enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God
has designed for us. It is very subtle, bringing death and creeping
into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so
attractively that we are lured into thinking that it cannot really harm
us.
Sin in undoubtedly a weight. In Hebrews 12:1, Christians are likened
to sprinters:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us,”

The competition before us is fierce as sin stealthily and relentlessly
tries to entangle our lives. We will never be able to run the race
marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. Anyone who is
born of God has a nature that should not sin (1 st John 3:8-10).
However, children of God fall into sin by not being watchful. Sin
should be recognised for what it is. Some people engaged in self-
deception. They call sin a mistake, a bad habit or a weakness. Sin is
more than these. It is cancerous, terrible and results in outright
destruction. Sin must be admitted and tackled as its root. It is
dangerous to blame your sins on others; neither must you allow pride
to convince you that it is too humiliating to admit the sin in your life.
Sin can blind a person to its presence. It does not always command
people’s attention, but rather, it subtly and pervasively robs one of
spiritual power and victory.
Are you living in sin? Are you deeply and dangerously entangled in it?
There is good news for you: there is no extent to which sin can
entangle us that God’s grace does not abound to free us from it.
Romans 5:10 says,
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”

Has sin robbed you of joy? Do you go about life in a manner that is
moody and melancholy? Has sin prevented you from being the best
husband, wife, son, daughter, friend, minister, boss or subordinate
you ought to be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity and
fulfilment in life, business, marriage and ministry? If you have
become entangled with sin, God can release you immediately! He
however requires repentance from you. Harden not your heart. Repent
and recommit your life to Jesus Christ now.

Prayer point
Father, grant me grace to live above sin, Satan and all his allied
forces in Jesus’ Name.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 20 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: SANCTIFICATION PRECEDES DIVINE COMMISSIONING

Memorise: If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a
vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and
prepared unto every good work. 2 nd Timothy 2:21

Read: John 17:13-19,
17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 
17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 
17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 
17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 11:12,
Matthew
5:21-42

MESSAGE:
The most important thing a person needs is to be born-again (John
3:3). From personal experience and from the experience of others,
certain things give you the assurance that you are born-again. If you
are born-again, you stop thinking about yourself alone. You stop
thinking only about what Jesus can do for you but also of what you
can do for Jesus. This was the case with Paul after he met the Lord
in Act 9:6:
“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it
shall be told thee what thou must do.”
You also begin to think about restitution (Luke 19:8), and you begin
to serve God with the same vigour with which you served the devil
(Acts 9:20-22).

After you are saved, you need to be sanctified before you can be
divinely commissioned for service. An unsanctified believer is
susceptible to backsliding, hence the need for sanctification. The
state of the human heart before salvation is one of the reason why
sanctification is necessary. Jeremiah 17:9 reveals that:
“The heat is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it?”

Every person is born with a heart that is desperately wicked, and
every of our actions originate from the heart (Matthew 15:19-20).
Sanctification changes the nature of a person’s heart (Ezekiel
36:26-27). Many people who were one born-again backslid because
of their failure to get sanctified. A backslider is worse than a sinner
who has never been saved. Backsliding is horrible. It can be likened
to a dog going back to it vomit. Worldliness can cause a Christian
worker who backslid. Demas was an example of a Christians worker
who backslid because of his attachment to the things of this world
(Philemon 24, 2 nd Timothy 4:10)

The ability to live holy is given by God. Jesus died for our
sanctification. When a person is sanctified, he or she begins to think
like Jesus. You forgive like Jesus and like Him, you become humble.
You develop a servant-spirit and you become obedient and meek
(Matthew 11:29). To become sanctified, you must believe that it is
possible to live holy (1 st Peter 1:15-16). You must then admit that
you cannot do it without the assistance of the Holy Spirit (John 15:5).
Finally, ask God to remove the heart of stone from you and replace it
with a heart of flesh.

Prayer point
Father, sanctify me wholly; give me a heart of flesh that is in line
with your nature.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 19 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: SATAN’S ATTACK OR THE LORD’S CHASTENING?

Memorise: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth. Hebrews 12:6

Read; Hebrews 12:4-6,
12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 
12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 9:10,
Matthew
4:23-5:20

MESSAGE:
Christians are spiritual soldiers. We engage in constant warfare
against principalities, powers and wicked spiritual forces that operate
in high places. Ephesians 6:12 says that:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
There is a tendency among Christians therefore to view anything
unpleasant that happens to them as emanating from spiritual warfare.
When a difficult suitation arises, many immediately ask God to
remove their distress. It is worth noting that not all problems that we
face as believers have something to do with the devil or the spiritual
warfare we are engaged in. In Galatians 6:7, the Scripture says,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.”

Some hardship, difficulties and unpleasant happenings arises as a
result of sin, disobedience, pride or other shortcomings that call for
disciplinary action from our Heavenly Father. Sin frequently attracts
punishment. Sin can be described as transgression or non-
conformity to the law of God in our inward or outward conduct of life,
whether by omission or by commission. The Bible indicates that sin
justly deserves punishment and that it calls down the righteous
judgment of God (Romans 6:23). Various kinds of sins are mentioned
in the Scriptures. These includes presumptuous sin, secret or hidden
sin and sin against the Holy Ghost.

Presumptuous sins refer to defiant acts of sin. These are sins
committed on the basis of assumption. Some people steal, tell lies,
commit fornication or adultery, forge documents or engage in other
evil acts. When such people are confronted with God’s view on their
waywardness and its implications, they argue that God understands.
They assume that God is too holy and kind to send a sinner to Hell-
fire. Presumptuous sin is dangerous. God is a God of both love and of
judgment (1 st John 4:8, Hebrews 10:31). King David wisely prayed
that God should keep him from presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13).
Secret sins are sins which escape the notice of the soul. Many people
commit sins without being conscious of it. These also attract divine
judgement and chastisement. What such people need is repentance
and deliverance. David also prayed that God should cleanse him form
secret sins (Psalm 19:12). The last but not the least is sin against the
Holy Ghost or what is referred to as “sin unto death” (Matthew
12:31-32, 1 st John 5:16). This is a wilful rejection of grace. Are you
facing unpleasant happenings? Look inward. God’s expectation from
chastising is repentance.

Action Point
Examine yourself to see if there is any presumptuous or hidden sin in
your life.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC:  LIVING BY VISION & REVELATION

Memorise: After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram
in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy
exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1

Read: Genesis 41:38-43,
41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 
41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 
41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 
41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.  41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 
41:43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 7:9-8:27,
Matthew
4:1-22

MESSAGE:
Vision is the strategy of progress and a determinant of destiny. Vision
is no doubt one of the most powerful forces available to man on earth
today. It gives meaning to life, keeps us alive and conditions our
lives. Visions inspired the Greeks to produce philosophy and art that
still impacts the thinking of our world. It motivated the great Roman
Empire to expand its influence and develop the known world. Vision
inspired the explorers who circumvented the globe and ignited the
creation and expansion of many of the nations we know today. It is
your vision that determines your destiny. Proverbs 29:18 says,
“When there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepth the
law, happy is he.”

True vision is not based on what a person sees with the physical
eyes alone, but on the images seen with the inward eyes of the mind.
A man of vision sees what God has planned for him before its
fulfilment. Vision entails planning and goal-setting. Every great
person in history owned a personal vision. A man with no vision is at
best a living corpse. He desires nothing and achieves nothing. Is your
life directed by a clear vision? Do you know your potential for fulfilling
this vision? Have you developed a concrete plan for your vision?
What active steps have you taken towards the fulfilments of your
vision? Do you recognise people’s influence on your vision? These
are all questions you need to answer if you will leave your prints on
the sand of time. When you begin to act on your vision, it will stir up
both those who want to help you and those who want to hinder you.
How passionate are you about your vision? Vision requires faith for
fulfilment. Have you built up the faith necessary for the fulfilment of
your God-given vision? And most importantly, what is the source of
your vision?

In addition to true vision, God’s people live by revelation. A Christian
is expected to operate on a God-given vision and by revelation.
Christianity is an intimate growing relationship with the persons of
Jesus Christ. Every child of God should therefore live by the
revelation of the Word. We should live by what the Word of God says.
God expects you to arrange your life based on His Word, regardless
of whether it makes sense to you or not, and regardless of whether it
is convenient or not. God knows what is best for your future, your
family, your church and your country. He wants to reveal what is on
His heart to you, if only He can get your attention. He expects you to
diligently pursue your vision and the revelations He drops in your
spirit. Actualising your vision and the revelation God gives you
requires diligence, integrity, focus, good human relations, prayer and
faith. How prepared are you to live by these?

Action point
Dust up that vision or revelation God gave you so long ago and
diligently run with it.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY 17 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

Memorise: If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye
also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:14

Read: Daniel 2:46-49,
2:46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 
2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 
2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 
2:49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 5:13-7:8,
Matthew
2:19-3:17

MESSAGE:
Daniel purposed in his heart not to partake of the king’s meat (Daniel
1:8). He denied himself all the goodies associated with classical
palatial living because he wanted to make a difference among his
peers. Anyone who aspire to be a leader must be self-disciplined,
carefully choose the kind of people he or she associates with and
must consciously cultivate habits that will distinguish him or her Like
Daniel, leaders must fear God and be prayerful, respect authority, be
diligent testimonies, young David was diligent in keeping his father’s
flock, and God rewarded him with a kingdom (1 st Samuel 17:34-35).
The way Joshua and Caleb delivered a minority report after returning
from their assignment is a good example of how to have the right
attitude when confronted with challenges (Number 14:6-8). Their
level of faith in the Lord God determined their attitude and degree of
courage. They admitted that indeed there were giants in the land and
the walls were tall, but they confessed that the Lord would deliver the
enemies into their hands. No wonder at age 85, Caleb could say,
“Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14:12). He knew it was not by his
frail power or might but by the spirit of God. That is an attitude fired
by faith.

A good leader is a regenerated, distinguished personality (John 3:3).
Because he draws his energy and inspiration from the Word of God,
he therefore mediates on it habitually. The Word of God dwells in him
richly, and he takes delight in living a righteous life. He is conscious
of the right people to associate with, and he walks in the perfect will
of God. He is one who makes a difference among his peers, and must
have been a good and consistent follower. He is a man of great and
mighty vision, who remains focused at all times. He is a selfless and
courageous champion and fire for God, a go-getter, very humble and
willing to learn from others. When the young Joseph caught the vision
of his future greatness, he developed the right attitude to remain
focused. His attitude was spiced with integrity. He focused to be
distracted, not even by the juicy mouth-watering offer of his master’s
wife.

Leadership by example can be summarised with two words: “GOOD
SUCCESS” (Joshua 1:8). Because a good leader is connected to his
source – God, he is ever fruitful, ever buoyant, ever prosperous, ever
peaceful and ever joyful. Simply put, good leadership guarantees a
holistic fulfilled life which in turn rubs off on any given human
system.

Key point
You cannot lead successfully if you have failed as a follower.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 16 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: A FRIEND OF GOD?

Memorise: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15:14

Read: John 15:13-15,
15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 
15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 4:4-5:12,
Matthew
2:1-18

MESSAGE:
There are believers who know God, and there are those who claim to
know God. Those who are friends of God will go all the way to do as
He commands, no matter the sacrifice and pain required. In Genesis
5:22-24, it was repeated twice that Enoch walked with God. He
walked with God to the point of no return. The friendship was so tight
that God had to tell him, “There is no point remaining on earth again;
let us continue our friendship in heaven” God and Enoch were
lovebirds. A young boy in a Sunday School class gave an interesting
perspective of this friendship. The boy said, whenever God visited
Enoch and He was about to leave, Enoch will escort God, and when it
was time for Enoch to return home, God would do the same.
Eventually, one day, after several repetitions of this exercise, Enoch
escorted God so close to Heaven that God told him to walk with Him
into Heaven. As childish as this may sound, there are lots of lessons
and revelations in what this boy said. The desire to maintain intimate
friendship with man has been there with God from the very beginning
of creation. God is looking for people to bless; people who will do His
will and enjoy His benefits. To partner with the Almighty God, you
must dislodge certain traits in your life. All those things that are
capable of limiting the closeness of your relationship with your Maker
must be taken care of.

Do you want to enjoy the kind of relationship that existed between
God and Abraham? Do you want to be a friend of God? Then it is time
to sit up. It is time to get serious with your salvation. You can’t be a
friend of God when you are still tolerating some nonsense in your life,
because God cannot behold iniquity. After 24 years of lack of
seriousness, God warned Abraham to sit up. No more hanging
around with Hagar. There is no one who partners with God and
remains the same. They become role models. If you desire a
meaningful relationship with God, you can no longer be fooling
around with that strange woman. You can no longer be courting that
wrong relationship. You cannot afford to continue going where
unbelievers meet to entice one another to sin (Psalm 1:1). No more
Luke warmness and spiritual slothfulness (Revelation 3:15-16). No
more disloyalty or lack of commitment. You must be ready to go all
the way. If your love for Him will count at all, it must put a demand
on your heart, might and strength. No more helping yourself with
church resource kept in your trust. No more seduction of young girls.
No more jealousy or envying your colleagues. No more hatred for
others. No more cheating of God in the payment of your tithes and
offerings. No more using substandard materials when you have been
mobilised to buy the best. No more pulling others down simply
because you want to climb up.

Key point
Those who love God will never recover from His blessings.

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AVOIDING A BAD MARRIAGE.

By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD.

It is said that after salvation, the most important choice you will
need to make as a believer is who to marry. This choice is so
important that if you miss it, you will suffer for
long and if not careful or well taken care of you may surfer for life, if you get it right then you will enjoy forever.
A bad marriage can affect every other area of your
life, from home to work, ministry and health.

This subject is so important and not to be over looked, as so many married
people are hoping to be single again so as to
make the right choice. But If you are still single please
don’t just be in a hurry to get married, you have
the best opportunity to prepare for it.

For two people to come together to live in peace
and harmony, they must agree spiritually, mentally
and physically.

Just like an elephant cannot marry
an ant so also a believer cannot marry an
unbeliever. If an elephant marries an ant how
would they live, if a goat marries a fish where
would they meet? You must look for a Godly man
or a Godly woman to marry, nothing can beat this.
The devil’s primary target is the family. He knows
that everyone belongs to a family and if he can
make two wrong people meet then he has
succeeded affecting the community and nations
negatively.

Ignore your age and the pressure for a
moment, the pressure in a wrong marriage is far
worse. God has somebody for you but you must
set your priorities right. What do you need in a
woman? What do you need in a man?
Marriage is not about what you want, it is about
who you need, that will make you better while you
make him better. It is about destiny.

That is why you must know your purpose before you get
married. Genesis 2:18.
You must pray before you choose. God knows the
best person for you, it is only wise to seek His will.

It is very easy to know God’s will when sex is not
involved. The moment sex is involved and you
want to know His will then He will blank you out.
Why? Because you have broken His first Law of NO
SEX before marriage.
If you have had sex in the past then you need to
repent totally and stay away from each other for
sometime then you can seek the face of God.
Your marriage will not be hell on earth. Your
marriage will be honorable in the name of Jesus
Christ.

Don’t marry for sex, don’t marry because you are
of age, don’t marry because you are getting old,
don’t marry because you are lonely, don’t marry
because you need someone to support you
financially, don’t marry because you mistakenly got
pregnant, don’t marry because you don’t want to
lose the person, don’t marry because of family
pressures, don’t marry because you like the idea of
marriage and admire every wedding gown you see,
don’t marry because all your friends are getting
married.
But get married because you want to fulfill destiny.

Get married because you want to be a help mate.
As a man, get married because you want to fulfill
your purpose. God will help you in choosing, please
let His will be done. Amen!

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY 15 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: A MORE EXCELLENT NAME

Memorise: Being made so much better than the angles, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:4

Read: Acts 4:6-12,
4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 
4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 
4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 
4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 
4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 
4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 
4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 2:31-4:3,
Matthew 1

MESSAGE:
Whenever brand names are mentioned in the society, people know
without wasting time what they represent. These serve as the identity
of the entity they represent. With this in mind, let us look at the Name
of Jesus. The Name of Jesus has several significant attributes. One
of these is that it carries power. This power is so special because it
is unlimited. The Name of Jesus has the answer to every difficulty of
life. It is the only Name through which salvation can be guaranteed
(Acts 4:12). The Name of Jesus grants you access to His person
(Mark 10:47-49). This special access will turn your life around. If
there is any reason why many people are going round in circles, or
things seem not to be working for them despite their efforts, it is
because of the absence of Jesus in their lives. When you have Jesus,
you have everything. When you have Jesus, you can tell the powers
of this world to take the world and leave you with Jesus. If you have
the whole world and you don’t have Jesus, you are of all men most
miserable.

What kind of power is there in the Name of Jesus? The power of the
anointing, the power to deliver, the power to become relevant in the
scheme of things, the power to win souls and the power to be
committed in the service of the kingdom: all these are found in His
Name. Without the power in His Name, there is no safety or
fortification for believers. In Acts 19:11-17, certain exorcists tried to
exercise dominion over demons by His name, while they lacked a
relationship with His person. They suffered tremendously and were
placed where they belonged. If you attempt to do anything significant
in life without the power of Jesus, you can be sure it won’t succeed,
and if it is permitted to succeed, you will realise that it won’t be sub
sustained. What are you desperate for? Do you desire to prosper,
achieve success, be anointed and be relevant? Then you have to
come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the original
kingmaker (Revelation 1:5-6). He can make you a king on earth and
establish your authority. He can make you rule as a king in His
kingdom which has no end. His mandate is to save us from our sins,
and for Him, there is no one whose life is irredeemable. There is
power in the Name of Jesus to break every chain. Are you going
through any form of sorrow at the moment and you are finding it
difficult to come out of it? It could be because you have refused to
receive the person of Jesus. You cannot have Jesus and have
sorrow. Are there certain forces around you whose activities are
having a negative effect on your destiny? You have to cry to Jesus so
that in His Name, every force working against the will of God for your
life will be frustrated. The power in the Name of Jesus gives the
anointing such that, even inn the midst of your enemies and
detractors, nothing will hinder your progress, peace and boldness.

Prayer Point
Father, as I call upon the excellent Name of Jesus, let excellent be
found in my life.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: MIRACULOUS RECOVERY

MEMORISE:
And i will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Joel 2:25

Read: 2 nd Kings 6:1-7,
6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 
6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 
6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 
6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 
6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 
6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 
6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

Bible in one year:
Daniel 1:1-2:30,
Revelations 22

MESSAGE
In our scripture reading today, we see someone felling a tree by the
riverside and the axe head being used falling into River Jordan.
Thank God for His power that located the axe head and brought it
back up for the user to complete his project. There are people who
have lost very precious things in their lives. With God, there is nothing
lost that cannot be recovered miraculously. To recover means to find
something you once lost. There are people who have suffered partial
loss and there are others who have suffered total loss. No matter the
type of loss you have suffered, the Almighty God will restore them to
you in Jesus’ Name. In Mark 5:25-34, the woman with the issue of
blood lost a lot. She lost her health because she had been in that
situation for long. She lost her wealth because she lost her peace
because when there is absence of good health and wealth, frustration
can set in and this leads to depression. But by the time she met
Jesus, everything she had lost was restored to her. For a user of this
devotional, whatever good thing you have lost will be recovered
instantly in Jesus’ Name.

Samson is an example of someone who suffered partial loss (Judges
16:21-28). As a result of his carelessness, he lost his eyes to the
enemy. Even though his hair grew back, blindness remained in his
life. By that Name that is above every other name, which is Jesus,
every reminder of loss in your life is terminated in Jesus’ Name.
Everything you have lost: financially, physically, in your marriage and
career-wise shall be fully recovered in Jesus’ Name. Another
interesting story that shows God’s ability to return whatever one has
lost is found in Daniel 4:28-37. It is a story about King
Nebuchadnezzar. This king became so proud that he refused to
acknowledge God as the source of his achievements. In a bid to
humble him and teach him that man cannot achieve anything without
God, God caused him to lose his kingdom. He also suffered the loss
of his sanity, humanity, dignity, glory and honour. In fact, for a period
of 7 years, he was not different form animals, miraculously though,
all through those years of his wilderness experience, nobody replaced
him on the throne. The Lord kept his position intact until his training
was over. Testimonies abound to show that the fact that an
opportunity was lost does not mean it cannot be regained. As long as
God is in the equation, He can reverse the irreversible. He can
suspend laws and principles to make a point in your life. That is why
those who think they have seen your end are in for a shocker. It is
important that we always appreciate what we have so that we don’t
lose it. If you have lost your peace of mind due to backsliding, you
have to repent of those sins and confess the Lordship of Jesus. If you
do these, you will become a new person and experience the time of
refreshing from the Almighty God.

Prayer Point
Father, by your mercy, commands a recovery of all I have lost in
Jesus’ Name.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

TOPIC: THE PAINS OF DISOBEDIENCE

Memorise: For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the
LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 1 st Samuel 15:23

Read: 1st Samuel 15:10-11,
15:10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 
15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

Bible in one year:
Ezekiel 47-48,
Revelations 21:9-27

MESSAGE:
The sin of disobedience is a terrible sin. Nothing hinders the children
of God from fulfilling their purpose in life like disobedience.
Disobedience comes in many shades. It can take the form of refusal
to keep to specific instructions, functioning in an office of God has
not called you to, courting a wrong relationship or operating in a
place you are not meant to be in a particular time. No matter what
form it takes, the truth remains that disobedience is a terrible sin in
the sight of the Almighty God. Disobedience compels God to turn
blessings into curses, as we see in the account of Adam and Eve
(Genesis 3:17). Every act of disobedience erodes your reservoir of
God’s blessings. Nothing destroys a man faster than the sin of
disobedience. That is the reason why you have to check your life
today and take stock of your soul, so that you sky will not be turned
into brass (Deuteronomy 28:23). When this happens, instead of
favour, you will experience closed doors.

In 1 st Samuel 15:1-23, King Saul lost his crown because of partial
obedience. God expects full obedience from all His children. He
prefers total obedience of partial obedience. This is one of the
reasons why many of us are yet to access the blessings of God fully.
Abraham was called to leave his father’s house behind but he
suffered the consequences of disobedience by taking Lot along with
him. Who are those people the Lord expects you to have dropped but
you are still hanging around? What are those things the Lord has
warned your about that you are still engaging in? These are the things
that will deny you the full blessings of God. Numbers 12:8 says
Moses was so close to God that he conversed with God mouth to
mouth. But when he was told by God to speak to the rock instead, he
was severely punished: he never got to the Promised Land (Numbers
20:12). Check your life and find out those things that are capable of
hindering you from becoming the best God wants you to be. Drop
them now before they make you drop out of the journey to Promised
Land.

Check your life today. If you are experiencing perpetual sorrow,
suffering, disappointment and unfulfilled desires, check and find out
the factors responsible. Don’t pretend to be okay when you know all
is not well with you. If you confess those hidden sins of disobedience,
you will surely find mercy, but if you pretend about it, you will be
undoing yourself. Some people keep making effort, yet they never
record any success when disobedience is present.

Action Point
Examine yourself today and repent from every act of disobedience in
your life.

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