There's joy in Freedom- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 34 -36
THERE’S JOY IN FREEDOM Monday, October 11, 2010
MEMORIZE: “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126:3) READ: Psalm 126:1-3 Freedom is a wonderful experience. The day a prisoner is set free, is a day of great joy. This is so whether the prisoner in question was in a physical or spiritual prison. In John 5:2-14, we read of a man who was held in the prison of sickness for 38 years. But one day, Jesus walked up to him and healed him and boy, he knew the joy of the free! In 1995, while still in the first auditorium, a renowned missionary and elder who has since gone to glory preached a sermon during our Convention and made an altar call. As at that time, I was already the General Overseer of the RCCG for some years but had been battling with my flesh. I knew if I lost that battle and fell, many people will go down with me so I wanted to be free. When this elder made the altar call, for those who wanted to be free, I was the first to come to the altar. Many pastors were surprised that I answered that altar call but I thank God I did. The victory the Lord gave me that day is so overwhelming that the Sun of righteousness has been shinning brighter through me ever since. Some people out of shyness lose great opportunities to be free. If you know the joy of being free, you will not lose it for any reason including shyness. I visited Kirikiri Prisons (Lagos) for the first time as a young pastor in 1975. I went in the company of a senior pastor. We had a great service there and I was asked to pray a prayer of thanksgiving. I wondered how I could possibly pray such a prayer in the prison. I must have prayed a very short prayer: “Almighty God, thank you for life because when there is life, there is hope. Thank you Father because you are still on your throne in Jesus’ Name I pray”. That trip to the prison changed my life dramatically. The organist was about 25 years old and quite good on the keyboard. He was dancing while playing the organ to the extent that I whispered to the pastor who took me there that it appeared the man was about to be released. I was told he had bagged a life sentence. In my assessment, he is one of the most talented organists we have yet, because he is in prison, the world may never benefit from his tremendous skills and potentials. At the end of the service, the keyboardist took the closing prayer thus: “We thank God for those of us who came from outside: Lord take them back home safely. Oh Lord, for those of us going back to our jails, please do not forget us here”. Tears filled my eyes. I realized the worst thing that can happen to a strong, talented and intelligent individual is to be locked up in a prison. Are you in one? The Lord will set you free. ACTION POINT: Ask God to intervene in the lives of the innocents who are in prisons across the country and release them. Have you supported education for all? Support and visit www.10millionexercisebooks.com project today