The Holy Communion and Eternity - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 4-6
COMMUNION AND ETERNITY Friday, July 2, 2010
MEMORIZE: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come ” 1 Cor. 11:26) READ: 1 Corinthians 11:24-30 Since man is a tripartite being comprising spirit, soul and body, challenges equally come to him from those areas. Two major challenges that will confront man in the spirit realm are spiritual bondage and eternity.  Concerning spiritual bondage, youwill notice that immediately after Israel ate the Passover meal in Exodus 12:33, an end came to their slavery of over 400 years. Those who held them and had vowed to hold them forever began to beg them to leave. They were so much in a hurry: they could not stand them any more, not even for a second! John 8:36 says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”. One major avenue for accessing freedom from bondage is through the Holy Communion. As you take the next Communion with the Lord, every thing holding you bound will let you go in Jesus’ Name. How does the Holy Communion tackle the challenge of eternal destination? 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 says partaking in the Holy Communion compels us to remember the Lord’s coming.  It also makes us remember His promises. For instance, in John 14:1-3, the Lord assures us of His return to take us to our eternal home. Also, before you take the meal, you will examine your spiritual life and see if it is right with God. If there is sin in your life, taking the uncommon meal brings sickness and death hence, you will immediately make your ways right with God (1 Cor. 11:27-30). A Christian who avoids the Lord’s table may live carelessly and therefore risk losing Heaven. But a regular communicant who keeps his or her life in line with the Word is being prepared for Heaven.  Do you regularly partake of the Holy Communion? However, you must eat this meal with caution because, even though it can make you an all-round winner, it can also make you an all-round loser. This meal can heal any sickness in your body, life, family, ministry, finances, etc. Yet, it can also kill.  Those who know the conditions for taking the Holy Communion yet, ignore them, are simply playing with fire. There are some Christians and even ministers who eat the meal unworthily - either out of shame or to make an impression that they are living right when they are not; today, they have problems that defy solutions. Examine yourself before you eat. ACTION POINT: Ask that you and everything concerning you be released from the hands of your captors and oppressors as you partake of the next Communion.