Stop that Axe- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

STOP THAT AXE!
Friday, January 29, 2010

MEMORIZE: “And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matthew 3:10)

READ: Daniel 4:13-14

“I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven” (Daniel 4:13). The big, beautiful and fruitful tree in king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was under observation. You are under observation. You are constantly being watched by unseen forces. Some leaders believe the higher they climb, the more difficult it becomes for anyone to monitor them closely.

That is not true! The reality is that the higher you climb, the easier it becomes for all to see your errors. Heavenly watchers are everywhere watching you, hence you ought to be more careful in all you do. Some errors would be ignored and known to just a few if committed some years ago when you were a ‘nobody’; but now that you are ascending the ministerial ladder, it would be seen by many and would not easily be glossed over.

Apart from watching, the heavenly watcher was asked to cut down the tree, cut off the branches, shake off the leaves and scatter the fruits. In other words, every sign of life and fruitfulness was to be destroyed. Until then, the tree never thought that it could be cut down. There is nothing impossible to God. What He cannot do through men, he will engage angels. What He cannot do through angels, He will do Himself. Two categories of trees are meant to be cut down. They are the proud and the fruitless Christian.

According to Proverbs 16:18, it is only a matter of time every proud person will be cut down. Unfortunately, because the repercussion of a proud act is not immediately effected, some people think they have escaped it. King Nebuchadnezzar was cut down one year after his act of pride (Dan. 4:28-33). Have you sown some seeds of pride and believe the results have gone away because you have received Jesus into your heart?

Take steps in humility to destroy the imminent evil harvest now! Also, Matthew 3:10 says any believer who is incapable of growing the good fruit of the Spirit deposited in him will be cut down. Every manifestation of the Adamic nature draws you closer to the heavenly axe man. If you live like an angel in church but like the devil in your school or work place, you are a candidate for divine axing. Repent today and avoid anything that can bring down God’s axe. What you need is not the axe but the rain of God’s blessings!

ACTION POINT:

Father, in any way an axe is laid to my roots, forgive me and turn it away. Help me never to attract the axe in what I do or say.