Open Heavens Devotional.

Friday 7th August, 2015.

HELP FROM SUBORDINATES.

Memorise

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
-Isaiah 61:5

Read: 2 Kings 5:1-4, 10-14.

Message

God had His agenda already set out before the foundation of the world. When the right time comes for Him to unfold a specific plan in His agenda, He looks out for those He can use to achieve His purpose. For example, when the time came for God to accomplish an earlier plan to turn a Syrian army general into a worshipper of Jehovah, God sought the vessel to use, and He found a young captive girl who was serving as a maid in the house of Naaman. She cooperated with God and told Naaman's wife of a highly anointed prophet of God in Israel who could cure the incurable leprosy that was a blemish upon Naaman's life.

Some other vessels that God used in achieving His purpose concerning Naaman were Naaman's personal assistants. When they arrived at the front of Elisha's house, Elisha simply sent his servant to tell Naaman to go and dip seven times in River Jordan and he would be healed. Naaman took offence that the prophet could not even honour him by coming out to talk personally to him. How could the prophet send a servant to him? Besides, he did not like River Jordan at all. Why did the prophet not choose any of the prestigious rivers around? He was angry, and he decided to leave. Had it not been that some of his servants decided to talk frankly with him, making him see the folly of his decision to return home empty-handed, he would have become a victim of his anger. He listened to them, went and dipped in the river and came out whole. When he returned to the prophet, he offered him a gift which he refused.

He then requested to carry some of the soil from Israel to his native land to raise an altar to Jehovah there, and he promised to serve the Almighty God going forward. God can use anyone. Are you a housemaid or a houseboy? God can use you. Are you a servant? God can use you. God also used Prophet Elisha. Are you a servant of God? God can use you. One lesson from the maid and the servants is that if you can deal with the problems of fear and intimidation, you can be used by God to help your superiors. Never look down on yourself. Do not say that because you are uneducated, you cannot speak to the educated about Jesus. Use the Pidgin English or vernacular you know to pass across the message of the love of Jesus to others. The help that will move some superiors to their next level lies in the hands of their subordinates. You can be used to assist your superiors. The greatest assistance you can give to those above you is to link them up with Jesus.

Prayer Point

Father, let my ears be open to Your voice coming through my subordinates.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Saturday 8th August, 2015.

FAVOUR BRINGS DIVINE FOCUS.

Memorise

And as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
- John 9:1.

Read John 9:1-7.

Message

John 9:1 talks about a man who was born blind. He had been blind for over 40 years, but when his day of favour came, Jesus saw him. This was not an accidental glance; rather, God directed the attention He gives to the whole universe to this blind man. The favour of God brought this blind man under divine focus. Through this same favour, Esther also came under special focus (Esther 5:1-. King Ahasuerus did not just see Esther; he focused his attention on her. This was not ordinary king; he was a very busy king overseeing 120 nations. As busy as he was, when he looked at Esther, it was not just a passing glance but a life-changing glance of favour.

Similarly, in John 5:2-6, in the midst of a multitude of sick but expectant folks, there was a man who had been there for 38 years without help. Jesus saw him and singled him out of the crowd. Among all the multitude of people having your particular type of problem, favour will locate you today and you will be singled out for a miracle in Jesus’ Name. There was a particular man who had two PhDs but still could not get a job for more than six years. By the time he was brought for prayers, he looked like a mad man. He looked like someone who never stepped into a school, because he has gone through a lot. We introduced him to Jesus and he willingly accepted Him into his life. Not long after, the people in his local government, who had been looking for someone to employ, suddenly took interest in him. What several application letters could not do became settled when God focused his attention on him, and his long pressing need was met. For so long it might appear you have been going unnoticed. You have called out to God, fasted, praised and worshipped Him sincerely from your heart, but it appears as if God has either turned a deaf ear or your prayers have never passed the ceiling of your house. You are becoming discouraged as a result of this, and you are wondering if your prayer efforts are of any use. Do not be discouraged! God is not only looking towards your direction right now, He is also paying proper attention to you. Your situation is about to turn around for good. Hold on to the Lord in faith. Give Him more thanks, praise, worship and adoration. Wait on God until your change comes!

“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days on my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.”
   
Action Point

Ask God to remember all innocent people who are unjustly awaiting trial in prisons. Ask Him to grant them favour and set them free.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Sunday 9th August, 2015.

YOUR BLESSINGS ARE RESERVED.

Memorise

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant place; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
- Psalm 16:6.

Read: Psalm 16:5-9.

5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Message

One thing that robs many people of peace is the uncertainty of the future. If you are living in right standing with God, your future is guaranteed not by man or by the economy of your nation, but by God. Hence, Isaiah 3:10 says:

“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

Are you saved, sanctified and living a life that pleases God daily? If you are, then you have no reason to be worried about your tomorrow. Your future is secured in Christ. This is the reason why Jesus charged His own not to worry over what to eat, drink or wear (Matthew 6:25-34). With this assurance, Apostle Paul also in Philippians 4:6 said:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.”

Another reason why the righteous have peace is the assurance that they will prosper. Our Heavenly Father in Isaiah 1:19 promised that:

“If ye be willing and obedience, ye shall eat the good of the land:”

If you are holy, your portion of divine blessings is reserved for you. Part of the wealth of this world has been reserved by God just for you. Nobody can take your portion from you. When you know this, you will not be moved or be afraid, no matter what you go through. No wonder today’s Bible reading says that while God was sharing land to His children, a good portion, very fertile and fruitful, was allotted to you. It also assures you that God is the One who secures your blessing so that no one can steal it from you. As you live in righteousness before Him, simply put your trust in Him. Ask Him to lead you to your reserved land. Nothing will take your reserved portion of blessings away from you. Simply please God by regularly worshipping and thanking Him; win souls and support the expansion of His kingdom on earth. As you do these, He will surely lead you into the portion of divine inheritance reserved for you.

Action Point

Thank God for reserving a blessing for you in His safe haven.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Monday 10th August, 2015.

NORMAL & ASSISTED PROGRESS.

Memorise

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

- Psalm 78:70.

Read: Genesis 27:1-10.

Message

On the scale of progress, after the state of retardation comes the state of normal promotion. This refers to a state of progress where growth occurs at a normal rate or at a generally acceptable pace. A person operating on this level moves step by step and from stage to stage. In some organisations, it is normal to be promoted from one level to another once in four or five years. However, the problem with this kind of promotion is that it is ordinary; there is nothing exceptional about it. It is at variance with the abundant life Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). Normal promotion is not exactly what God has planned for you as a child of destiny. It is crowded at this level of progress. In all their lifetime, some people have never experienced any type of progress beyond the normal. If you are in this category, the Lord is moving you to something higher this season in Jesus’ Name. From a crowded school of prophets and teachers in Antioch, the Holy Ghost separated Paul and Barnabas to an exceptional life in ministry (Acts 13:1-2). The Lord will separate you from the crowd and make you exceptional in Jesus’ Name.

Beyond the state of normal promotion is a state known as assisted promotion. This is experienced when someone is personally interested in your welfare and choose to assist you by taking you to a level you are not yet due for. The three Hebrew boys Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego experienced this in Daniel 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.”

After their friend, Daniel, was made a great man, they were assisted to the top based on his recommendation. Note however that this state of progress still requires hard work, as this may even be the reason why you were considered for elevation in the first place. Another example of assisted progress can be found in the story of Isaac and his family. Isaac called his beloved son and firstborn, Esau, and instructed him to go hunt and prepare him a delicious meal so that he could transfer the generational blessing to him. As he left to do so, his mother, who overheard her husband’s instructions, decided to arrest the blessing from Esau and pass it over to Jacob, her own beloved son. She therefore designed a plot to assist him, and she schooled him on what to do. In the Name of Jesus, the Lord will raise people to assist you into a level you were not expected to attain. Human and divine assistance shall work in your favour this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, let human and divine assistance relocate me to the top.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Tuesday 11th August, 2015.

SPIRIT, NOT FLESH.

Memorise

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
- Hebrew 12:9.

Read: Isaiah 40:6-8.

6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Message

Man is limited because he is confined to a body made from dust (Genesis 3:19). He is also limited because even at his best, he is comparable to the flowers of the field (Isaiah 40:6-, which grow, glow, fade and die. Sometimes, because they are glowing so beautifully, they are cut and used either for play or for decoration, after which they die. Unlike man, God is not limited, because He is Spirit and He is not made of dust. Jesus in John 4:24 revealed the nature of God to us when He said:

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Not only is God a spirit, He is the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9). All spirits derive their powers from Him. If you can appreciate how powerful angels are, then you can begin to comprehend this God who created and empowered billions of angels and has the power to command them to cease to exist in a moment. Imagine that one angel alone, razed down the entire army of a mighty nation in just one night (2nd Kings 19:35). This should give you a little insight into how great and mighty the Father of spirit is.

To break away from our limitations as humans, we must move towards becoming more of spirit by becoming more like God. Man is a tripartite being made up of spirit, soul and body. All three components must be developed in that order. Your spirit must be given the greatest priority in development, followed by your soul. Your body should not be developed to the detriment of your spirit and soul. If you are not born-again, your spirit is dead, and the soul is heading for Hell. In the unsaved state, the flesh is in charge of an individual’s life. The flesh is a servant of sin and therefore, a slave to Satan. Wherever the flesh rules, Satan is in control. If your body is what dictates to you when you pray, how you pray, how often you eat, what to do with your passions and how you relate with God, you can be sure that it will never draw you closer to God. It will do everything possible to separate you from God and keep your spirit-man dead or weak. The longer you live in the flesh by gratifying it lusts, the weaker you become in the spirit. But if you can be born-again and develop your spirit-man by feasting regularly on God’s word, praying in the Holy Spirit, walking in obedience to God and worshiping Him in spirit and in truth, your limitations will give way to your empowered form. Decide to grow your spirit-man in all you do from today!

Action Point

Whenever you worship God, always engage your spirit-man.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Wednesday 12th August, 2015.

LOOK BEYOND THE BUS STOP.

Memorise

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
- Hebrews 12:3.

Read: Hebrews 12:1-3.

1 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,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Message

From Hebrews 12:1, we understand that a race has been set before us as Christians. We did not initiate the race, but our decision to fellow Jesus Christ automatically signed us in as partakers. Moreover, this race is an unusual marathon. If you lack patience, you cannot run the race. If you want to run it like a spirit, you would only be wasting your time, because God will not redesign the race for you; rather, you are the one who needs to adjust to His programme.

The Christian life is a process and not a single event. As a process, you are expected to move from one stage to another. You must be like a traveller who goes from one bus stop to another, continuing his journey until he reaches his final destination. In the course of the journey, you may be required to stop over at the bus stop of lack. This is meant to test your faith and ability to trust God for provision. No matter how long you stay there, never turn that bus stop into your destination. God may allow you to stop over at the bus stop of ridicule, to test whether you will continue the race in spite of belittlement. Those who over inflated egos and those who hold themselves in high esteem may have problems here. Do you know that some people have called off their trip to Heaven just because they were mocked, ridiculed and laughed to scorn? Never truncate your journey to Heaven because of any unpleasant experience encountered at any bus stop. The very Author and Finisher of this race also went through this bus stop. People mocked Him and seriously ridiculed Him, but He overcame it all with the weapons of prayer, patience and quietness, and he finally reached the finish line. He got to the end because He focused on the joy that was set before you will definitely affect your attitude to it. While many people see what is before them as a worrisome race, Jesus saw the same as a joyous event. Therefore, one way you can run this race victoriously is by ignoring the challenges on the way and focusing on the rewards that await you on the other side. If your heart is on what you will receive in Heaven, you will not turn your bus stop into a destination by building a tent there. How are you handling this race? After the present unpleasant experiences comes the glorious, eternal experience of joy, awaiting you on the other side. Don’t miss out on it!

Key Point

If you do not focus on the silver lining at the end of the marathon race to Heaven, you will grow weary along the way.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Thursday 13th August, 2015.

PLEAD THE BLOOD.

Memorise

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
- Revelation 12:11.

Read: Exodus 12:12-13.

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Message

The Blood of Jesus Christ is an expensive weapon made available to every believer in Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ paid such a high price to secure this weapon for us; a price so high that the Bible refers to this weapon as precious. 1 Peter 1:19 says:

"But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

As you understand the worth of this weapon, you will appreciate the power it can unleash on the enemy. Little wonder the kingdom of darkness cannot stand the Blood of Jesus. To eliminate all doubt, a loud voice expressly declared from Heaven the victory of the saints over Satan himself through the Blood of Jesus, in Revelation 12:11:

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

The Blood of Jesus is not only there to cleanse you from sin but also to protect and defend you. However, if you are not a Christian, although the Blood is available, it is not for your use. If you belong to the devil as described in John 8:44, you cannot use the Blood to overcome him. The Blood must first translate you to the kingdom of light by cleansing and washing away your sins before it can become a weapon in your arsenal.

A particular couple wondered how their money kept disappearing from their house. The man suspected it was his wife who was stealing his money. However, his wife also began to experience the loss of her money as well. At some point, she began to wonder the kind of husband she had, who would give her housekeeping money and later sneak in to steal it. When they could not bear it anymore, they both accused each other of stealing the other's money. It was then they discovered that something strange was happening to them, and they came to me. Realising that it was the devil at work on their finances, I told them to always say "I cover this money with the Blood of Jesus" before keeping it in any part of their house. It worked! From that moment, there was no incident of strange disappearance of their money. Cover the baby in your womb with the Blood of Jesus. Cover all your children at home and abroad with the Blood of Jesus. Cover your business and customers with the Blood of Jesus. Remember to always plead the Blood of Jesus. It is a weapon the devil cannot resist.

Key Point

If you are in right standing with God, anything you cover with the Blood of Jesus is truly safe.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Friday 14th August, 2015.

HE USES FISHERMEN.

Memorise

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.
- 1 Corinthians 12:22.

Read: Luke 5:1-11.

Message

When the time comes for God to fulfil a plan He has predestined to happen, He looks out for those He can use for this purpose. God does not discriminate in His choice of persons to use to accomplish His mission. He can use the great or the small. When the time came for Him to choose those who would serve and learn under His Son, He chose some raw fishermen. Our God is awesome, and His ways are past finding out! In today’s Bible reading, when Jesus found Peter, He told him that from that day, he would no longer catch fishes from the sea, but human souls from the world. If God can use a raw uneducated fisherman like Peter, He can use you more. You are very useful to God. However, do you make yourself available for His use? Ironically, as the number of ministers is increasing, the number of those who are available for God’s use is decreasing. As a result of this, many people bear the title of minister, but they are not available to perform their assignments. Have we forgotten the acronym F.A.T., which stands for Faithfulness, Availability and Teach-ability? If God will use you, these three must be the code you live by. Today, because the people we consider more suitable for kingdom assignments are either too busy or giving too much excuses, God is moving to those who have made themselves available to do His work, even when those people appear less suitable for the work. Are you available to serve God? If you can create time to do your secular work that you will have to leave someday, why can’t you create time to serve your Maker who can reward you for your service in eternity?

There are some people who feel God cannot use them, because they have not yet bagged a degree, amassed some wealth or become famous. Oh, how mistaken they are! Do you know that God can use you just as you are? He can use you even in your limited state, if you will only turn your life over to Jesus. Do not wait to get your miracle first before telling others about the love of God. In any way you can share the gospel with the unsaved, go on and do so. Lead others to Christ. Use your influence to motivate people to do the right thing. Be a positive, holy influence on your peers. Remember, if you bear fruit for God’s kingdom, it will be His responsibility to do what He can to make you more fruitful.

Action Point

You are very important to God. If you fail to play your role in the Body of Christ, it could bring losses to God’s kingdom. Determine to play your role today.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Saturday 15th August, 2015.

FAVOUR UPROOTS OBSTACLES.

Memorise

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
- Job 10:12.

Read: Zechariah 4:6-9.

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.

Message

In the journey of life, the enemy can place obstacles in the way of a man to prevent the actualisation of his destiny. Zerubbabel was a man commissioned by God to rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem and to restore the worship of God at His temple. The Word of the Lord concerning this came expressly to him through several prophets and scribes, including Zechariah, Haggai and Ezra (Haggai 1:1-2, Zechariah 4:9, Ezra 2:1-2). In spite of these facts, the enemy still put difficulties along his way to prevent him from fulfilling God's divine destiny for his life (Ezra 4:3-5). However, Zerubbabel found favour before God, and the unmerited favour of God was sent to uproot the obstacles the enemy placed in his way (Zechariah 4:7). This season, the Lord will remove every obstacle the enemy has placed in your way in Jesus' Name.

A particular sister trusting God for marriage attended one of our Holy Ghost services, and a word came from God that there was a lady present, whose mother was obstructing her from getting married. The Lord said if this mother continued to stand in her way, she would die within a week. On getting home, this lady told her mother the word she had heard from God. Her mother later stormed angrily into my office saying: "You are the one teaching people wrong things, and saying that I am going to die!" "When did I say that, mama?" I asked. "My daughter returned from your programme and came to tell me so", she responded. To pacify her, I told her that I did not mention any names, and added, "Don't mind her.

That is how they claim what does not belong to them. Pacified, she excused her daughter from my office. When we were both alone, she turned to me and said "Pastor, is it true that the mother in question will die?" "Mama, it is not you, but God's word must be fulfilled. If the person in question fails to release her daughter to be married, within seven days, she will be buried", I replied. She then confessed, "It is not that I don't want her to marry, but the challenge is that if she marries, who will take care of me? She is the only one looking after me now." I told her "Mama, if that is the issue, there is no problem. I will tell her husband that whatever your daughter has been doing for you before she was married should be sustained." She then responded,
"Alright, she can marry." Within a week, after several years of waiting, a man looked in her direction and said she was the right woman for him. Today, the favour of God will turn God's search light in your direction and completely flush out everyone standing between you and your expectations, in Jesus' Name!

Prayer Point

Father, by Your favour, remove every obstacle frustrating the fulfilment of my destiny.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Sunday 16th August, 2015.

PEACE THROUGH HIS PRESENCE.

Memorise

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
- Romans 5:1.

Read: Exodus 14:13-14.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Message

The assurance that God is on the side of the righteous and not against them, gives peace to their life. It is commonly said that "One with God is majority." Even if the whole world is against you, as long as you know that God is on your side, you will not be afraid. As a child of God, because God has justified and cleansed you, there is now peace between you and Him (Romans 5:1). The rift of separation is gone! Condemnation is also gone! Praise God! As long as God stands by you, nobody can withstand you (Romans 8:31). If God is for you, it means that He loves you, and if He loves you, then you are more than a conqueror. If God is for you, He will personally take over the battles of your life. As you simply praise and worship Him, He will arise and engage your enemies in battle. You can be certain He will bring the victory back to you. While facing the Red Sea with no visible way to cross it, the children of Israel suddenly had the Egyptian army rushing furiously towards them. Faced with this impossible situation, Moses said this to them in Exodus 14:14:

"The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

When you have the Commander-in-Chief of the heavenly hosts fighting for you, oh what peace and joy will flood your heart in the midst of the storms of life! As long as Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is in your boat, that boat will never sink. A song writer wrote, "... No water can swallow the ship where lies, the Master of ocean and earth and skies". This is so true. You can go to sleep in the midst of an earthquake when God is with you. That was why Peter could sleep so deep after his arrest. Acts 12:6-7 tells of how he slept, bound between two soldiers:

"And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison."

He knew that even though he was in prison, He was safely in God's hands. He also knew that God can do the impossible whenever He decides to. Are you anxious over how you will come out of that impossible situation? Fear not! What did Peter do to come out? Nothing! He slept while others prayed, yet he came out. You are coming out today in Jesus' Name. Because God is with you, you will never fall.

Key Point

The peace that God gives cannot be eroded by the storms of life.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Monday 17th August, 2015.

PROGRESS WITH SPEED.

Memorise

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
- Psalm 124:7.

Read: Psalm 126:1-4.

1 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.

Message

Promotion can come to you through either human or divine assistance. The assisted state of progress attained through this promotion moves you to a level where you are not supposed to be. The greatest promotion of all is that which transforms a sinner into a saint. This is only made possible through divine assistance. Because man could not attain this spiritual promotion by his own efforts, God came in to help us. This season, the Lord will assist you and move you to a level you are not qualified to occupy in Jesus' Name.

Beyond the assisted state of progress is the accelerated state of progress. This is progress of the unusual kind. It defies time, expectations and protocol. Under the influence of this state of progress, you could be at the bottom now and find yourself at the very top moments later. David experienced this type of progress in 1 Samuel 16:11-13. He was just watching over his father's sheep and goats in the fields when a messenger came and told him he was urgently needed at home. "What for?", he asked. The messenger's reply was "I don't know, but we have a visitor - a man, I think he is a prophet, and he asked for you to come right away." As soon as he got home, God told the prophet, "This is the fellow, anoint him now." Samuel asked David to kneel before his brethren, and he anointed him. By the time the boy got up, he was already a king. One moment he was a shepherd boy, and at the next, he was a king. That is accelerated progress!

At the registry on the day of my wedding, we could not but notice what was happening around us. A particular girl was dressed up to be wedded, but she waited endlessly for the bridegroom, not knowing he had absconded. She almost went berserk, but she eventually survived the disappointment. Not long after, she was married to a soldier. Unknown to her, the man who jilted her also joined the army. One day, there was a military coup, and the husband of this girl became a governor. Meanwhile, the boy who jilted her was assigned as a subordinate to her husband, the governor. So, anytime this girl was to enter the car, her former husband-to-be had to open the door for her. This season, God will overlook time, protocol and the arrangement of men in order to accelerate your promotion! Your progress shall receive divine speed in Jesus' Name.

Prayer Point

Father, by divine speed, move me, my family and members of my local assembly to the very top in Jesus' Name.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Tuesday 18th August, 2015.

LIFE MORE ABUNDANT.

Memorise

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
- John 10:10.

Read: John 10:9-11.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Message

God's plan for His children is that they do not become sick at all (3 John 2). All through His years on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ was never sick. If you believe in Him and fully obey Him, it is possible for you to never be sick again. Sickness is alien to God's temple - your body. It is a stranger, an invader and a tool of the enemy. John 10:10 says the mission of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal your health, kill your body and destroy you. But thank God, 1 John 3:8 says Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Every work of darkness operating in your life shall be destroyed in Jesus' Name.

Moreover, Jesus came to give life. The life He came to give is not in limited measure, but at a level described as being more than abundant. In other words, in superlative measure! Life is the opposite of death. Any resemblance of death in you shall be uprooted now! The life Jesus gives includes physical life; hence, He can reverse the process of death in a human body (Acts 9:39-41). It also includes spiritual life: He imparts life to a spiritually dead fellow and is able to sustain this life until He returns (1 Peter 2:24). This is how those who were once sinners become saints and remain holy until they sleep in death or are caught up in the rapture. Jesus also gives intellectual life.

He can resurrect the mental faculty of a dullard and turn the fellow into a genius (Acts 4:13). His abundant life includes financial life: He makes the deeply impoverished to become financially empowered (2 Corinthians 8:9). The abundant life restores health to the sick, makes the barren fruitful, changes the story of the one covered with shame, gives beauty for ashes, joy to the sorrow-laden, compassion to the neglected and so much more. It is capable of multiplying provision to overflowing measure. Are you a beneficiary of the abundant life? Any blessing you have in limited measure can be made available to you abundantly. This season, the abundant life that Jesus gives shall be your portion! Reject anything that is less than the abundant life! Do everything possible to live a life that is filled with God's abundance!

Key Point

Although Jesus has made all good things abundantly available, your faith will determine the level of what you draw from it.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Wednesday 19th August, 2015.

STEALING FROM YOUR EMPLOYER?

Memorise

Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
- Ephesians 6:6.

Read: Ephesians 6:5-8.

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Message

One aspect of Christian character that is often neglected is our attitude to our place of paid employment. Some people out-rightly steal things kept in their care by their employer; such should not even be mentioned among Christians. However, there are other subtle ways people steal from their employers. When you accept to work for an organisation, there is an understanding or even a written agreement regarding your working hours. If you are to resume at 7:30 AM but you get late to work, you are stealing time from your employer. If you are to close at 5:00 PM but you leave at 4:00 PM, you are a thief. There are even situations where an employee will resume and close at the normal time, but while in the office, instead of concentrating on the assignment at hand, he or she will spend a good portion of time browsing the internet for personal leisure, watching television or videos, or just gallivanting and gossiping from desk to desk.

If you are engaged in any of these, you are equally stealing time from your employer. In addition, taking or using for personal purposes any material or property that belongs to your organisation with permission amounts to stealing.

“Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” Ephesians 6:6

Another way employees steal from their employers is by pretending to work when the boss is around but dumping the work or doing a shoddy job when the boss is not there. Today’s reading says that there should be a difference between a Christian employee and his or her non-Christian counterpart. While unbelievers may work just to be seen, believers should work as if they are doing that official assignment as a service to Jesus Christ. To this end, realising that the Lord is ever present, you will do your work as to the Lord from your heart. A Christian employee will work conscientiously because he or she knows that by doing his or her secular work to please God and to glorify His name, not only will the organisation pay for this service, God will equally give the fellow a good reward for a job well done. It means that you can actually earn double for doing a particular job once. If the effort you put into your job does not glorify God, you will be paid only by your employer, but if it does, you will be paid by your employer and by God. How do you handle your official assignments today?

Key point

How can you win your employer to Christ if you cheat or steal from them?

Open Heavens Devotional.

Thursday 20th August, 2015.

THE WORD AS A WEAPON.

Memorise

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Hebrews 4:12.

Read: Matthew 4:1-11.

Message

Besides shouting, praising God, the Name of Jesus and the Blood of Jesus, another very important weapon available to believers in Christ is the word of God. Psalm 1:2-3 reveals that the word of God is a weapon against physical and financial dryness. Psalm 1:3 says:

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

This is simply great. The word of God fights against every anti-progressive element it comes in contact with. If you delight in God's word and meditate daily on it, you create the opportunity for it to work for your prosperity. How often do you spend quality time feasting on God's word? Some people think they are doing other people a favour by reading the Bible. No! You are only doing yourself a favour. If you fail to create time for the word, you are only doing yourself a disservice.

Moreover, the word of God is a very powerful weapon against the devil. When the devil came to tempt the Lord Jesus, He overcame him using the word of God. He kept saying "It is written...". Whenever you engage the devil, use the word. Some people think that the Bible is becoming too old-fashioned to combat modern schemes of the devil. That is a lie from the devil himself! The Bible is ever relevant and never loses its power, message and effectiveness, irrespective of the times. Always apply the word; it always works! After becoming the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), I went on a familiarisation tour. The youths rejoiced over God's choice to place me in that position.

One day during the tour, we were heading towards my village when the devil said to me, "You are now very popular; it is better you die when you are popular than when you become unpopular." Immediately, this word of God in Psalm 118:17 came out of my mouth: "I shall not die but live, and I will declare the works of the Almighty God." Five minutes later, we narrowly escaped a horrible accident. At that time, the entire congregation of the RCCG was below 1000. If the word of God had not come forth to deal with the devil, he would have had me for breakfast. He could anticipate an explosion of God's move in the church and he wanted to stop it, but the word of God stopped him. Never neglect opportunities to know more of the word.

Action Point

Know the word, believe it, apply it and expect it to work, and it will work wonders.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Friday 21st August, 2015.

RENEWED BY A LITTLE CAKE.

Memorise

And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
- 1 Kings 19:7.

Read: John 6:5-13.

Message

God uses those who make themselves available for Him. This season, may He find you available and use you to fulfil His good purpose in Jesus' Name. In today's Bible reading, when Jesus wanted to feed the crowd that came to listen to Him, there was no food with which to carry out this assignment. His disciples suggested that the people be sent away to take care of themselves, but the Lord disagreed and asked them to sit them down. A little boy volunteered his food, and the Lord used it to feed the crowd. This story is one of the wonders of the Bible to me. If you give some biscuits, sweets or chocolate to a little boy, and you then ask him to give you a little out of it, what do you think will happen? He will most likely put the biscuit or sweet behind his back and give you a stare that tells you not to come near what is his, especially if he is hungry.

When the boy in our Bible reading left home, his parents packed him some lunch, but when someone told him that Jesus needed his meal, he immediately released it. May all our children never hold back from God what He has provided for them in Jesus' Name.

Many years ago, I woke up one morning at the Redemption Camp feeling depressed (believe it or not, this can happen to any man of God). I had prayed all night, and had been fasting for days. I asked myself why I was virtually trying to kill myself praying, fasting and doing night vigils, while the very people I was doing all these for never cared about me. It was always about them. Each time they saw me, they would come with requests: "Daddy pray for us", "Daddy do this" and "Daddy do that".

Those who were a bit nice would say, "Daddy, make sure you take some rest, but solve my problem first." When praying for me, they would say, "May God preserve you for us." Why should I kill myself over people who were only interested in using me to reach their goals? In that state, I slept off as I laid my head on the table. By the time I woke up, a little girl who had come with her parents all the way from Victoria Island, Lagos, was standing by my side. "Daddy", she said, "I don't know the voice of God, but this morning when I woke up, God asked me to take this little cake to you. I know it cannot be the devil, because he would never ask me to give my cake to a pastor." As she was leaving, God said to me, "I thought you said nobody cares?" With that, I snapped out of depression and was on fire again. Are you just using your pastor? In what way have you encouraged him or her?

Prayer Point

Sweet Holy Spirit, comfort all ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ who are on the verge of discouragement or depression.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Saturday 22nd August, 2015.

RECOVERING YOUR HEALTH.

Memorise

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
- 2 Kings 5:14.

Read: 2 Kings 5:5-14.

14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Message

“And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken from them: David recovered all."
-1 Samuel 30:18-19.

From David's experience outlined above, we understand that it is possible to recover every good thing that was lost. God is no respecter of persons; what He did for one, He can do for all (Acts 10:34-35). However, for you to experience a recovery, you must first believe that it is possible (Mark 9:23). It does not matter how long ago the devil stole your health from you, by faith in Jesus Christ, you can recover it. The woman with the issue of blood lost her health for 12 solid years (Luke 8:43). For that whole period, she kept on bleeding. But one day, in a decisive encounter with Jesus Christ, she recovered her health. The fountain of her problem dried up and she was made whole. Naaman also had a case that was considered to be incurable by the specialist physicians of his day, and yet when he brought the matter to God, he recovered his health completely.

The leprous skin on his body was replaced with brand new skin like that of a baby. What have you lost to the enemy? You shall recover all in Jesus' Name. Have you lost your health for so long? Are the doctors saying that your case is incurable? Are the specialists saying you must be prepared to live with that particular disease? Never! The same God who did it for Naaman and the woman with the issue of blood will do it for you. Hebrews 13:8 says He never changes: whatever He has done before, He can do again. Every incurable disease affecting your body shall be healed today in Jesus' Name!

Were you once enjoying good health before the devil struck you with a particular sickness? The Lord will return you to the era of healthy living! It is possible you strayed from God's holy path before the sickness came. If that is the case, the mercy of God will locate you for healing and recovery. God's mercy will triumph over judgement concerning your situation. Perhaps your sickness is a spiritual attack by your enemies; the Lord shall return it back to them, and you shall recover fully. Today, you are completely healed of all sicknesses in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Prayer Point

Father, right now, I recover the good health the devil stole from me, in the Name of Jesus.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Sunday 23rd August, 2015.

HEAVEN AT LAST.

Memorise

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
- John 14:2.

Read: Revelation 21:1-8.

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Message

You may have wondered in your heart, "Of what benefit is it to me to deny myself the pleasures of sin by living a holy life?" I have good news for you: it is of great benefit. One major benefit of living a holy life is the assurance of making it to Heaven. Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:8 said:

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

Many people are being deceived today by the doctrine that says you can still make it to Heaven even when you live in sin, so far as you have confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Don't be deceived; Heaven is not for everyone. It is not for sinners, nor is it for the wicked; it is for the pure in heart. Heaven is not for souls confessing salvation but still living in sin. Nothing that is defiled or tarnished with sin can be allowed into Heaven (Revelation 21:27). It is a prepared place for a prepared people. Nobody can get there by wishful thinking. The Lord Jesus Christ has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us, and He will definitely return to take us there (John 14:1-3). Will you be among those who will be welcomed into Heaven? Beloved, many people are fast shifting their focus away from heaven to earth. In fact, Satan is giving some people a very comfortable piece of the world so that they will forget about Heaven. Is comfort or wealth eroding your faith in Christ? Are wealth and earthly pleasure replacing God in your heart? Don't let anything good or bad hinder you from making it to Heaven!

Living a life of holiness is also of benefit to your life on earth. One of such benefits is the anointing. Hebrews 1:9 says:

"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."

"Oil" in this Scripture symbolises the Holy Spirit. If you want the anointing, you must live a holy life. If you want the power of God to move freely through your life and ministry, you must be holy. In fact, the degree to which you are holy will determine the extent of the anointing upon your life. Based on this, you can easily tell that those ministers of the gospel who appear to be highly anointed but lack holiness must have gotten their power from some other source and not God. If you want power from God, you cannot get it by compromising with sin. Are you living a holy life?

Key Point

God can only entrust you with His power if you are living a life of holiness.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Monday 24th August, 2015.

INSANITY TERMINATED INSTANTLY.

Memorise

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
- Psalm 46:5.

Read: Mark 5:1-15.

Message

Different people experience different stages of
progress. While some people experience
progress without wheels, some others
experience progress with wheels but without an added push. However, there are some who
experience the level of accelerated progress
which has wheels and speed. The progress that
suddenly moves someone from the bottom right to the top shall be your portion this season!

Elisha, the servant of Elijah, experienced this
type of progress (2 Kings 2:1-15). While he and
Elijah were travelling from place to place, the
other sons of the prophets mocked him. On the
day his master was to be taken away, they
mocked him saying, "Mr. Dedicated! Instead of
joining us to acquire theological degrees at the
school of prophets, you are busy following Elijah about. We shall see what will become of you when God takes your master home today!" These sons of the prophets must have believed that one of them would be Elijah's successor, but in a twist of fate, when Elijah was taken away, Elisha was the one chosen by God as his successor. When they saw Elisha parting River Jordan and walking through on dry ground, they acknowledged that what they were hoping to get had been given to him instead. They all had no choice but to bow down before Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). All those mocking you today shall soon bow to God in your life, in Jesus' Name.

Not only does accelerated progress affect work, position and finance, it can also move a person from a state of insanity to sobriety in an instant. The mad man of Gadara did not undergo 10 weeks of deliverance coupled with fasting and prayer. He met Jesus at the height of his insanity, and the very next moment, he was saved and transformed into an evangelist.
Many years ago, a bank manager ran mad. It took four hefty policemen to grab him, handcuff and chain him. He was being taken to the psychiatric hospital when, in a brief moment of sanity, he begged them to take him to the Redemption Camp. He told them that if his legs could just touch the soil at the Redemption Camp, he would be free. When they brought him, I was in my office close to the expressway. He was very wild, but I asked them to release him. They refused, because of the difficulty they had experienced in capturing him at first; but I insisted that that they should set him loose, since he had said he just wanted to step on the soil of the camp. Immediately he was set loose and he stepped on the soil of the Redemption Camp, he became completely healed. As witnesses of this miraculous event, the policemen asked me to pray for them. I told them to give their lives to Christ first, and they agreed. Your healing and deliverance shall come suddenly, in Jesus' Name.

Prayer Point

Father, send Your power of deliverance to set
free all those with issues of insanity around us.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Tuesday 25th August, 2015.

TIME TO FAST.

Memorise

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

Read: Matthew 9:14-15.

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Message

It is good to fast, but it is important to know why you should fast. One of the reasons why we fast is so that we can be empowered to deal with demons and forces of darkness. In Matthew 17:14-21, a demon-possessed boy was brought to Jesus' disciples, but they could not cast out the demon. They later asked the Lord why. He told them that some demonic cases may not be solved by praying alone, but by combining prayers with fasting. We fast in order to be battle-ready, so that whenever the devil raises his ugly head, we are able to give him a good knock. Some people are surprised and disappointed when they do not succeed in casting out demons after quoting Luke 10:19. This Scripture says:
"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

If you want this Scripture to be effective in your life, then you must learn to fast and win souls to Christ. When you win souls to Jesus, you automatically put on the boots of the gospel, and as a result, no demon will be able to harm you.

Moreover, we also fast while preparing for high-powered ministrations, just like our Master who began His ministry with a fast (Matthew 4:1-2). Some people ask God to fulfil His promise that we would do the same works Jesus did and even greater works (John 14:12). To those people, Jesus says "Fine, simply start where I did - with a 40-day fast." Many years ago, during the centenary celebration of modern Pentecostalism in Azusa, Los Angeles, a lot of speakers from prominent ministries were invited from across the globe. From Africa, only two people were invited to speak, and by the grace of God, I was one of them. There was a special room where the speakers waited before moving to the stage. All kinds of food and drinks were available in this room.

When I got there, I saw those slated to speak eating, drinking and chatting. An usher asked me what I would like to have, but I declined. The lady then asked, "Won't you take even a cup of tea?" In my heart, I knew that was not the appropriate time for me to eat or drink. It was time to hook on to the Spirit so that my ministration would be impactful; so, I took nothing. After God used other speakers powerfully, when it was my turn, the fire fell. If you truly want your sermons to be effective, feed your spirit and not your flesh. As you wait on Him from today, you will have greater results.

Action Point

Use one to three days to wait on the Lord, just to thank, praise and worship Him.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Wednesday 26th August, 2015.

CRUELTY, EXPLOITATION & STEALING.

Memorise

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
- Ephesians 4:28.

Read: Ephesians 4:25-29.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Message

Although God loves the sinner, He hates their sins. For example, because God hates stealing, He commanded us not to steal (Exodus 20:15). In spite of God’s commandment however, there is still so much stealing going on at workplaces these days. One way employees steal from their employers is by inflating the cost of items they are sent to buy in order to make some profit for themselves. If you were sent on an errand and you have some money leftover, it is your duty to return that money to the one who sent you. Today, many people corner such money into their pockets. =N=2000 for petrol and he buys =N=1500 worth, pocketing the rest. It is also wrong for you to ask for a bribe from your clients or customers before carrying out a task you are paid for. If you do so, you are stealing from your organisation’s reputation, goodwill and position as a credible workplace. What the organisation stands to lose is far worse than what you stand to gain from such a bribe. Are you a thief?

On the other hand, some employees are cruel, exploitative and they steal from their employees. If you detain your employee beyond the normal closing hours and you fail to pay them the stated amount for extra hours of work done, you are a thief. If you pay your workers below a liveable wage, you are exploitative. If you fail to pay salaries when due, it is cruel. If you take advantage of your staff by paying them peanuts just because there are no jobs around, you are exploiting them. If you fail to keep promises made to your staff, you are a thief. Organisations that fail to give their staff at least one day off from a week of work are cruel and exploitative. If you are using your workers without caring about their welfare, family and even the time they have to serve God, you are cruel. When you fail to promote hardworking staff at the pre-agreed time, you are a thief. An employee who goes into an extra-marital affair with a member of staff is exploitative and is a thief. There are some employers or top company executives who recruit young ladies only after they agree to sleep with them. This is cruel, exploitative and amounts to stealing. Are you cruel to your staff or are you stealing from them? Do you exploit your employees or subordinates? As a pastor, are you abusing your ecclesiastical authority over the inheritance of God under your care? It’s time to repent of these before the judgement of God comes knocking.

Action Point

Examine your relationship with your employer or employee(s). Carry out restitution on any act of cruelty, exploitation or stealing.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Thursday 27th August, 2015.

WEAPONS FOR GOD'S SERVANTS.

Memorise

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
- 1 Samuel 3:19.

Read: 1 Samuel 3:19-21.

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Message

There are some principles of God that can be used as weapons by everyone, regardless of their faith. Divine principles relating to the natural world are given to all to harness the power inherent in them. For example, the principle of sowing and reaping falls into this category. However, there are some weapons of God that are exclusively for those who have believed in Jesus Christ.

In this subset, there are some weapons designed for the use of God's servants; one of which is prophecy. The Bible in Amos 3:7 says,

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

God attaches great importance to the words of His servants. In fact, if you walk closely with God, He will personally honour your word, just as He did with Samuel (1 Samuel 3:19). If only you can work on your relationship with God as His servant, He will become the backbone of your words. In other words, whenever you speak, people will tremble because they know God will back you up. In Ezekiel 37:1-10, God asked Ezekiel if dry bones could live, and he replied that only God could tell. Thereafter, God told him to prophesy: to make simple pronouncements from his mouth. He did, and God backed up his words. The result was a mighty army raised from dry bones.

Another weapon available to God's servants, closely linked with prophecy, is decrees. Job 22:21-28 reveals that if a servant of God can satisfy certain conditions, he will decree a thing and it shall be established. When you go through Scriptures, you will discover that those who skilfully used this weapon were mainly prophets of God. A heavily indebted widow ran to Elisha in 2 Kings 4:1-7, and he gave her certain instructions, decreeing that the little oil she had would continue to multiply until all available vessels she had were filled up. It happened just as he decreed. Notice that He did not say "Thus saith the Lord". Similarly, a very rich, elderly and barren woman who had consistently taken care of Elisha was told "Madam, nine months from now, you will have a son." She did not believe it, but it happened as Elisha decreed (2 Kings 4:16-17). When you hear a prophecy, you need faith in order to receive it and see its manifestation; but when it is a decree, even your doubts cannot stop it. As a servant of God, have you been using these weapons that God has made available to you?

Action Point

After worshipping God today, decree good things into your life, family, workplace, ministry, etc.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Thursday 27th August, 2015.

WEAPONS FOR GOD'S SERVANTS.

Memorise

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
- 1 Samuel 3:19.

Read: 1 Samuel 3:19-21.

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Message

There are some principles of God that can be used as weapons by everyone, regardless of their faith. Divine principles relating to the natural world are given to all to harness the power inherent in them. For example, the principle of sowing and reaping falls into this category. However, there are some weapons of God that are exclusively for those who have believed in Jesus Christ.

In this subset, there are some weapons designed for the use of God's servants; one of which is prophecy. The Bible in Amos 3:7 says,

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

God attaches great importance to the words of His servants. In fact, if you walk closely with God, He will personally honour your word, just as He did with Samuel (1 Samuel 3:19). If only you can work on your relationship with God as His servant, He will become the backbone of your words. In other words, whenever you speak, people will tremble because they know God will back you up. In Ezekiel 37:1-10, God asked Ezekiel if dry bones could live, and he replied that only God could tell. Thereafter, God told him to prophesy: to make simple pronouncements from his mouth. He did, and God backed up his words. The result was a mighty army raised from dry bones.

Another weapon available to God's servants, closely linked with prophecy, is decrees. Job 22:21-28 reveals that if a servant of God can satisfy certain conditions, he will decree a thing and it shall be established. When you go through Scriptures, you will discover that those who skilfully used this weapon were mainly prophets of God. A heavily indebted widow ran to Elisha in 2 Kings 4:1-7, and he gave her certain instructions, decreeing that the little oil she had would continue to multiply until all available vessels she had were filled up. It happened just as he decreed. Notice that He did not say "Thus saith the Lord". Similarly, a very rich, elderly and barren woman who had consistently taken care of Elisha was told "Madam, nine months from now, you will have a son." She did not believe it, but it happened as Elisha decreed (2 Kings 4:16-17). When you hear a prophecy, you need faith in order to receive it and see its manifestation; but when it is a decree, even your doubts cannot stop it. As a servant of God, have you been using these weapons that God has made available to you?

Action Point

After worshipping God today, decree good things into your life, family, workplace, ministry, etc.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Friday 28th August, 2015.

HE STILL SENDS BIRDS.

Memorise

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
- 1 Kings 17:4.

Read: 1 Kings 17:2-6.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Message

Our God is awesome, and His ways are beyond finding out. Nobody can box God into a pattern or regimen. He can use anything He chooses to achieve His purpose on earth. God uses those who are lowly placed, and He also uses the rich. Luke 8:1-3 tells of some wealthy women who ministered to Jesus from their resources. Mary Magdalene and other women blessed by the Lord resolved to serve Him with the resources they had. Are you rich or wealthy? Do you serve the Lord with your substance? Experience has shown that those who have little are the ones who dare to give their all to God.

This was the case with the widow who dropped her mites (Mark 12:41-44). Usually, the rich only give a fraction of what they have because they believe they are giving something big. However, God does not judge by size, He judges by proportion. Hence, the poor can give more than the rich in the sight of God, even if what they give is not as much as what the rich have given in quantity. Justifying why the widow's gift was more than what the rich gave, Jesus in Mark 12:44 said:

"For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

Moreover, not only can God use humans to accomplish His purpose, He can also use animals. In 1 Kings 17:2-6, God sent ravens to deliver food to His servant, and they obeyed. We have equally seen Him use birds too. When we began to build the Redemption Camp in those early years, there were some trees that provided shade which I instructed the workers to preserve. Some little birds came in their hundreds of thousands to perch on these trees. Whenever they descended on them, there would be no leaves left on the trees the following day. They were also very noisy. I wondered if they were demonic birds. Some of my children who had guns would enter their midst and fire some shots; yet, they refused to go away. Some birds were hit by the fired bullets and dropped dead, but the rest stayed on. At some point, it appeared the more they were killed, the more they multiplied! The situation became unbearable.

I therefore called on God to help us one morning. That evening, several eagles came and began to eat them up. Within hours, there was not a single one of them left. God has not stopped using birds! If He needs to send birds to meet your needs, He will do so; but you need to show Him that you can serve Him with all He has given to you. How faithfully have you served God? To what extent can you risk your life and all He has given to you for His service?

Key Point

God can mobilise all of His resources to satisfy the needs of those who can give Him their all.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Saturday 29th August, 2015.

WHEN HE BECKONS TO YOU.

Memorise

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
- John 7:37.

Read: Exodus 3:3-4.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Message

When a king beckons to you, it means you have caught his attention. In Esther 5:1-3, when King Ahasuerus saw Esther standing in the inner courts of the palace, he immediately raised his sceptre towards her. By so doing, he was inviting her to come nearer. When God beckons to you, you can be assured that things are definitely taking a new turn from that moment. This was the experience of Moses. For 40 years, Moses was at the back side of the desert looking after his father-in-law's sheep; but one day, this well-read and once very promising heir to the throne of Egypt (now turned shepherd boy) encountered the burning bush which was not consumed. He heard God beckon to Him saying "Moses, Moses". From that very moment, his story was never the same.

God beckons to you when the day of your favour dawns. There is a user of this devotional: you have invested so much time and money in acquiring several degrees but you have not been able to use them. It appears God has forgotten you for some years, and you have been wondering when the opportunity will ever come for your certificates to work for you. Rejoice! Your time of favour has just dawned. God has just remembered you and is presently beckoning to you. Within the next three months, your life will go through a transformation, to the extent that it will be difficult for you to believe this is happening to you. When the Lord does this for you, do not forget to appreciate Him and testify of it.

In 1969, while doing my postgraduate programme in Mathematics, a friend of mine was doing his research on the coastlines of Lagos, and so he needed to visit all the coastlines and take samples from them. He decided to go to Ebute Metta, Lagos, for some samples. Because we were friends and I was available, I accompanied him. At Ebute Metta, we saw a very large signboard which read "The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)". Looking to see what the big signboard was referring to, we only saw a very little church. I turned to my friend and said "The big name killed a small dog!" We laughed and left. Four years later, somebody invited me to the same RCCG for the first time, saying "There is a small church at Ebute Metta where God is performing miracles." I told him I had seen that church before - the small church with the big signboard. Imagine what God is doing today after beckoning to me. May you heed God's beckoning in Jesus' Name.

Action Point

What you look down on today may be your saving grace tomorrow. Ask for divine guidance in all you do.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Sunday 30th August, 2015.

UNDERSTANDING THE ABRAHAMIC BLESSING.

Memorise

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
- Numbers 23:20.

Read: Genesis 27:27-29.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Message

When God called Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, he instructed him to do certain things, while He promised to bless him in specific ways. One of the articles of this blessing in Genesis 12:3 was:

"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

We can infer from this Scripture that when a man is operating under the blessing of Abraham, his friends will also be blessed, and his enemies will most likely be cursed. Thank God we have access to the blessing of Abraham through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:14). When a man is blessed, his children are also blessed. The blessing of God on an individual can affect the genealogy of that fellow. Your generations can be blessed because of you. God did not just promise to bless Abraham, He actually fulfilled it. The testimony of Abraham's servant in Genesis 24:34-35, clearly shows God's faithfulness to Abraham. Every good promise the Lord has made to you shall be fulfilled in Jesus' Name.

Now, how can we define blessing? There is a generic definition of blessing and a spiritual definition for it. When all of your needs are being met and you still have extra resources left, generically, you can be said to be blessed. In other words, you cannot be said to be blessed when you are living from hand to mouth or you are begging. To be considered as blessed, there must be an overflow of resources. David in Psalm 23:5 spoke of his cup running over. After you have had enough for yourself and your immediate family, and you still have surplus, generically, you can be said to be blessed. It is good to be healed from a sickness, but it is better to be healthy.
You are considered blessed when, instead of just being healthy, the healing virtue flows through you. This shall be your portion in Jesus' Name. On the other hand, the spiritual definition of being blessed is the attainment of a state in which all the forces on earth, in heaven and under the earth are summoned to come to the aid of a person in his or her bid to succeed or excel. This was exactly what happened to Jacob. Isaac commanded the heavens, the earth and all people to help Jacob succeed (Genesis 27:28-29). In the Name of Jesus, the dew of heaven will favour you, the earth will yield her fatness to you, people and nations will willingly serve you, and you shall remain head everywhere you go.

Prayer Point

Father, release the dew of heaven to me, grant me the fatness of the earth and let nations, situations and circumstances bow down to me.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Monday 31st August, 2015.

PRAYER NEUTRALISES FEAR.

Memorise

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
- Hebrews 4:16.

Read: Luke 1:5-13.

Message

Prayer unleashes great possibilities to anyone
who is given to it. Looking at the experience of
Zacharias in today's Bible reading, we can see
some of the things made possible through
prayer. First, when you pray, you attract angelic visitations into your situation. In other words, prayer brings the supernatural into the natural. Any time you are tired of the ordinary, pray, and you will see the supernatural. Are you tired of seeing ordinary results? Pray, and you will soon receive results that are beyond your imagination.

In addition, when you pray, your fear is
substituted with calmness. Prayer causes fear to dissipate, because it is linked with faith, just as fear is linked with unbelief. While intensive prayers were going on in the temple, Zacharias heard an angel say "Fear not". When you hear "fear not", don't jump up in excitement until you have found out the source of that command. For instance, if a man tells you not to be afraid, there may still be reasons to accommodate some elements of fear, because of man's several limitations; but if God tells you not to be afraid, then you can rest assured there is nothing to fear.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16.

Are you afraid? Pray! As you engage the prayer gear, boldness will surge into you, and before long, fear would have disappeared. If you are constantly tormented by fear, it is an indication of the absence of an effective prayer life. If you pray often, you will always be looking up at the sunny side of life. You will be optimistic. You will have hope for the future and easily accept that your tomorrow will be alright. On the other hand, if you seldom pray, you will always see the bleak side of life. You will be easily discouraged.
You will be full of fear, worry and anxiety. You will equally be filled with suspicion. With fear in your heart, it will almost be impossible to do what you should do, go where you should go and be all you were created to be. Fear paralyses, don't give room to it.

Key Point

Prayerlessness ensnares the prayerless fellow in the trap of fear. Only a fervent, vibrant and
consistent prayer life can set him free.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Tuesday 1st September, 2015.

TOLERATING DEMONS?

Memorise

Neither give place to the devil.
- Ephesians 4:27.

Read: Acts 16:16-18.

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Message

One of the signs affirming that you have received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour is the ability to cast out demons. This grace is not the exclusive preserve of a few Christians who are branded "deliverance ministers"; rather, it should be commonplace among all Christians (Mark 16:17-18). However, you need to know that you cannot cast out demons while living in sin; they will expose your secret deeds. There is the story of a minister who attempted to cast out a demon from a fellow, and the demon spoke out saying: "Are you the one commanding me to go? You who committed fornication with so and so yesterday?" That was the end of that deliverance session. In practice, we don't see a lot of believers in Christ casting out demons today. Why is this so? Are they afraid, or living in secret sin? This should not be so. You should cast out demons whenever you perceive any operating around you.

From today, you shall be a demon-chaser in Jesus' Name. Wherever you go and find demons in operation, you should stamp your feet down in the Name of Jesus Christ and command them to take their leave. They will have no choice but to obey. If you need to support your faith, you can team up with one or two more believers and go out to preach the gospel, casting out the demons you find along the way, and they will obey you.

In our Bible reading, there was this young lady with the spirit of divination who appointed herself as the Public Relations Officer of Paul and his team, while at the same time working for her evil masters. She did this for a while, until Paul was grieved in the spirit and commanded the evil spirit to come out of her, and it did. From this account, you should learn that as long as you are ready to tolerate demons, they will continue to harass you. The trouble you allow to stay with you may take you along with it. In some churches, spirits of divination are in operation and they are tolerated. In fact, some pastors don't know the difference between a spirit of divination and the spirit of prophecy that comes from God. In such churches, the devil reigns, and he manipulates people freely. Many believers today are far from the place where God wants them to be, because the forces of darkness are fighting to hinder their joy. They throw up their hands in resignation to fate, expecting God to do something about it, but God expects them to command those forces working against them to loose their grip and take their leave in the Name of Jesus. Are you doing this today?

Action Point

If you notice demonic manipulation in any area of your life, command the spirits responsible to loose their grip and take their leave in Jesus Name.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Wednesday 2nd September, 2015.

THE MAJESTY OF HIS PERSON.

Memorise

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angles of God worship him.
- Hebrew 1:6.

Read: Hebrew 1:1-9.

Message

The majesty of a king is seen in the power and influences his name commands. In the whole universe, there is no king greater than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who can open both willing and unwilling doors (Revelation 3:7). By His Name, you have access to all doors in Heaven, on earth and in any part of the spirit realm. I pray that His Name will work for you whenever you call on Him from today in Jesus’ Name. Apart from opening doors, His Name can secure and sustain your deliverance from forces of darkness, because it is the only name that has the authority to chase out demons (Mark 16:17).
His Name secures and sustains your healing, because it is the only name sickness and diseases will hear and have no choice but to obey (Mark 16:18). Do you want joy to replace the sorrow you have been going through? The Name of Jesus can also deliver that to you (John 16:24).

The majesty of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in today’s Bible reading. Furthermore, Isaiah 9:6 says this about Him.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

If you desire to have all-round peace, all you need to do is to make peace with the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will give you peace in any area of life where you are currently facing a storm. No wonder a songwriter wrote these lyrics:

“Take the name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe, it will joy and comfort give you, take it wherever you go.”

Furthermore, do you know that Jesus elevates anyone who bears His Name? He lifts them up from the dunghill or miry clay and sets their feet on solid rock to keep them stable and secure. Do you need to move up to your next level? John 12:32 says if you give Jesus His rightful place in your life by lifting Him up, He will surely lift you and those around you higher. Jesus can give you victory in any battle you are facing; He can also give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Have you been struggling for so long to enter your rest in a particular area without success? Jesus will give you rest today. Your fruitless struggle ceases from today! Put your trust in His person, and it shall be well with you.

Prayer Point

Father, let the majesty of Jesus be manifested in every area of my life from today onwards.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Thursday 3rd September, 2015.

GOD'S GOODNESS IS COMING.

Memorise

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
- Psalm 27:13.

Read: Psalm 27:12-14.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Message

Despondency is a tool the devil uses to steal people’s vision. He injects this poison into a man’s heart through the experience of loss and suffering. That today is bad and the future looks bleak does not mean that your tomorrow will be terrible. As long as you are in Christ, you can rest assured that your tomorrow will be alright. Don’t give up on your vision! Even if the devil stole a particular blessing from you, don’t give him your vision. Dry up your tears because you need clear eyes to see new opportunities that God is giving to you. In fact, the avenue to your recovery can be around you as we speak, but as long as your eyes are flooded with tears, you will see only the situation and not the opportunities. Has the enemy taken everything from you like he did to job? That could just mean that like Job, you too are going through a trial of your faith. Don’t give up on God! Don’t let the devil take your joy, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. The knowledge that God is with you in that particular situation, and that the devil has clear boundaries with regards to the extent and timing of your trial should comfort your heart (Job 1:12 & 2:6). Make sure that like Job, after your trial, you emerge as gold. In addition to putting an end to tears, you also need to encourage yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). To succeed in life and in the Christian race set before you, don’t be surprised that in the midst of certain situations, the things or people you thought you would draw great motivation from could end up becoming the source of great discouragement.

In 1 Samuel 30:4-6, after David had wept over his losses, he encouraged himself in the Lord. This shows that he remembered God’s unlimited ability after he had lost all hope in his own ability. Hope and strength came to him after this. No wonder he confessed in Psalms 27:13 that:

“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”

David went through situations that swallowed his hope and made him despair even of life, but when he remembered who God is, what He had done and what He could do, his hope came alive again. He therefore declared that in spite of his current unpleasant situation, he would still experience the goodness of the Lord while alive, and it was so. Take courage, believe and confess that the negative situation you are currently experiencing will not kill you. Don’t allow it rob you of your tomorrow. You shall see God’s goodness in the land of the living in Jesus’ Name.

Key Point

What you focus on in the time of trial will determine its effect on you. If you focus on your loss, you will lose strength, but if you focus on God, you will gain strength and hope.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Friday 4th September, 2015.

KNOW YOUR PLACE.

Memorise

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
- 1 Corinthians 2:15

Read: Numbers 12:1-10.

Message

Although Miriam was Moses' elder sister and leader of the women of Israel, she was a casualty of God's judgement in the wilderness. It is instructive to note that an individual occupying such a sensitive position could not escape God's judgment when she goofed. For speaking against Moses, God struck her with leprosy. It took the intercession of Moses to reduce her sentence to one week; otherwise she might have died a leper (Numbers 12:13-15). From this example, every man should know their place and learn never to speak against God's servants. The more anointed they are, the more dangerous it is to offend them. If Psalm 105:14-15 is anything to go by, God does not permit anyone to harm His anointed.
If God's anointed offends you, apart from telling the fellow directly, you can report the fellow to God who anointed him or her, and God surely knows how to deal with His anointed. Never take it upon yourself to speak evil of God's anointed, and never attempt to cause such a fellow harm. If you do, God may have to defend His anointed against you. Anyone fighting God's anointed is fighting the God who anointed him or her, and with God, this can get very personal.

Our God is a God of structure, order and government. From the example of Miriam in the wilderness, we understand that God follows the spiritual order of authority when judging His anointed servants. To this end, God expects his younger ministers to be submissive to higher spiritual authority. We should also learn that our God is a God of justice who will judge any highly anointed person who tries to take advantage of those under him or her. Are you highly anointed of God? God has placed you as a role model to those under you; you should therefore not misbehave because you are occupying a high ecclesiastical office. Don't abuse your spiritual authority by cruelly lording yourself over your subordinates and making unreasonable demands. If your subordinate is right in a matter, God will judge you, the superior who has done wrong.
This can be inferred from the case of David and Uriah (2 Samuel 11&12). Today, many believers are suffering in several ways for fighting, opposing, obstructing and gossiping about God's anointed. It is unfortunate that most people affected by this are not even aware of it. It's time to deal with your problems at their root. Consider your attitude to God's anointed today.

Action Point

Examine yourself to see if you are suffering in any way as a result of your attitude towards God's anointed. If you are, repent and restitute your ways.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Saturday 5th September, 2015.

SHINE IN PROSPERITY.

Memorise

Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
- Zechariah 1:17.

Read: Deuteronomy 28:9-13.

9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

Message

While it is true that the Lord expects us to shine in the areas of our character and soul-winning, He also expects us to shine in the area of prosperity. No wonder He gave us great promises on prosperity, such as these found in Deuteronomy 28:12:

"The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow."

Poverty is one of the repercussions of sin; hence there is so much poverty across the globe. God is not happy with the level of poverty in the world, this is why He has chosen to make His children prosper and set them as lights that will wipe out the darkness of poverty from nations (Psalm 35:27). If you have been blessed by God but have not yet reached the level where you can lend to nations, it shows that you have not yet arrived at the level of prosperity God is taking you to. Because of your current lowly situation, you may find it hard to believe that God can truly increase you to this level, but the truth about God's integrity is that if He has promised to do it, He will definitely keep His promise, provided you do your part.

Concerning where God is taking you to, you would be wise to always remember that your present situation does not matter. God's destination for you is quite different from where you are now. Your present location cannot stop God from taking you to the destination He has for you. He is the God who can relocate a beggar from the dunghill to sit with princes and nobles (1 Samuel 2:. David was just a shepherd boy attending to his father's little flock, but when God decided to move him into greatness, his humble circumstances did not stop God.
The young shepherd boy became king according to God's promise (2 Samuel 7:. God did the same for Joseph. Joseph had a dream, but he also had very determined dream-killers as brothers. They sold him into slavery, and at a point he was a prisoner. In spite of all these, he rose from prison to become prime minister of Egypt (Psalm 105:17-22). You too are destined to be great! Your present challenges or limitations cannot stop you from becoming what God has ordained you to be. You shall be great! Nothing will stop you. No one can stop you. It is well with your tomorrow.

Prayer Point

Father, make a statement on prosperity to the world with my life and family.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Sunday 6th September, 2015.

HE CONTROLS TIMES AND SEASONS.

Memorise

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
-Hebrew 1:6.

Read: Daniel 2:19-21.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Message

Do you know that God still reverses the irreversible? He can go into your past to affect your today, and He can also go into your future and make it glorious. He can even change your appointment with death to a future date, just as He extended King Hezekiah's life by 15 years (2 Kings 20:6). This shall be your portion in Jesus' Name! Some years ago, a woman came from America to a Holy Ghost service we organised in London. She was advanced in age, had attained menopause and she was barren. During the course of the programme, a word of knowledge came that there was a woman in the congregation for whom God had just removed 10 years from her current age. She said "Amen! That must be me." Thereafter, she told her younger sisters whom she accompanied to the programme that "Don't call me 'Aunty' (a matured woman) anymore; I am now 'Sisi' (a young lady)!" A few minutes later, another word of knowledge came saying that the woman who had just been made 10 years younger would return with her baby same time next year. Convinced the word from God was for her, she said "O God, You must have seen me today." A year later, she had her baby.

Be assured that God who did it for this woman will also do it for you; Hebrews 13:8 says:
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

God will turn the times and the seasons of your life around in your favour in Jesus' Name. Have people written you off and said you will die childless? The Lord God will go into your future and say "I know you were supposed to die childless, but I am changing that so that on the day you will die and be buried, you will have at least four of your own children at your funeral." If people write you off, God can write you in. Has somebody looked at you and told you to your face that you can never be rich, because poverty is a perfect fit for you? The Lord will reverse this pronouncement. Has your teacher told you that you are so dull mentally that you can never amount to anything academically or professionally? The Lord will change that. Has anyone in your extended family told you that you can never amount to anything in life? The Lord will also change that. God has the power to change anything, but the problem is that some of us have accepted the negative pronouncements that have been passed on to us by others. That is very wrong. As long as you believe their lie and accept it, God will not be able to change anything concerning you, no matter how much He wants to.

Prayer Point

Father, those who have said I can't become what You created me to be, turn them into liars.