What glory is not- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Acts 3-5
WHAT GLORY IS NOT
MEMORIZE: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”  (Isa. 53:5) READ: Isaiah 53:1-8 From personal experience, it is a bit difficult to examine glory.  Let us attempt to have an understanding of this subject by looking at what glory is not. Proverbs 3:35 says, “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools”. It is obvious from this scripture that glory is the opposite of shame. The best way to understand shame is by experiencing it. Joel 2:26-27 says God’s people shall never be ashamed. You were divinely absorbed of shame when Jesus went through that experience (Isaiah 53:1-8). He has a receipt for your shame - His bruised and beaten body.  Every plan of the enemy to bring you to shame shall be disappointed and frustrated. Failure is also opposite of glory.  If you fail in your examination, you cannot be celebrating as you head for home. Every cause of failure in your life is terminated in Jesus’ Name. In areas you have failed, the Lord will give you success from today. Another opposite of glory is defeat. Although defeat and failure are related there is still some difference.  When you have made an insufficient or inappropriate attempt at doing something, failure results. But in the case of defeat, you really want to succeed and you are making every effort to reach your goal, yet,  forces stronger than you compel you to fail. Psalm 24:7-8 talks of the King of Glory who is strong and mighty in battle. Sometimes, parents do not understand why their children fail in examinations. Some failure is not because the students did not attempt to study, but because unseen forces stronger than them prevailed over them. Many years ago, while still lecturing at the University of Lagos, an incident happened during the examination period. A student was taking his exams when suddenly, he began to urinate on himself and became a stench to others in the hall. Embarrassed, the invigilator wanted to rush the boy to the clinic, but he simply requested to be conveyed to his pastor. I was in my office when the phone rang. I rushed to the examination hall and commanded the demon tormenting the boy to loose him. He was loosed, went home to change his clothes and returned to the examination hall. Even though he started 40 minutes late, he finished before everybody else. Every demon of failure assigned to you or your family shall fail in their assignment over your life in Jesus’ Name. ACTION POINT: Anything I will do capable of causing shame to Your Name, Father, let it be far from me.