Who's your ally?- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Acts 13-15
WHO’S YOUR ALLY?
MEMORIZE: “What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) READ: Romans 8:30-33   “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, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In life, things come in twos: A day is incomplete without the presence of day and night (Gen. 1:31). You cannot have two days without a night in-between. You have joy and sorrow, war and peace. At the delivery of a baby, there is the presence of two - the baby and the placenta. The former is embraced while the latter is discarded. It is no news that life is war. Right from birth we are at war. The birth pangs and travails of child birth prove this. When you were born, you were in a pool of blood. You were not laughing but crying. Some children may not even survive that delivery. Some who were safely delivered may not survive the war for a week. Thank God you survived to see this day. At birth, everyone came into this world naked irrespective of their antecedents. No one came with some money in his hands. So for you to make a success out of life, you must fight. Besides success, sickness is war. You would have to fight to remain healthy. Poverty is another fight you must win. So also is marriage. If everyone is born naked and physically empty, how come some end up rich while others are poor, some great while others remain ordinary? Some people think its all a matter of luck or a game of chance. This is not true! Those who win the battles of life only succeed because they have a good ally. Why do you think your parents wanted you to go to the best school? It is because they wanted the best teacher to be your ally so that you can win the battle to the top. All those who believe you will never amount to anything will receive the greatest shock of their lives. You will not only become something, but also be what God has planned for you to be. What is that battle currently engaging you? The Lord will give you victory this season in Jesus’ Name. According to Romans 8:31, if you are rightly connected to God, you will be sure of winning the battles against your life. Every enemy that has lifted weapon, voice or hands against you shall be truncated. The Lord will show up as your ally and take over the battles of your life. It shall be well with you. ACTION POINT: Father, thank You for being my greatest ally. As I go through the battles of life, fight for me.

Nothing to offer- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Acts 10-12
NOTHING TO OFFER
MEMORIZE: “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (2 Cor. 6:15)   READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). The Bible has warnings to prevent intending couples from derailing their trip into marriage. For every single and searching brother or sister, care must be taken on the issue of choice in marriage. First, you must never choose an unbeliever as your life partner. Believing that you can convert him later is the greatest gamble and deception you could get yourself into. You may say He is very nice and a complete gentleman just that he is not born again. Or, that she is a very pleasant, polite and courteous lady only that she is not born again. The fact that she is not born again makes all the difference!  If you are able to get hooked to the right partner, your heaven has started on earth: but if you marry the wrong partner, you will start burning in hell on earth before you go there. As a believer in Christ, you are standing on the rock. But that unbeliever is on sinking sand or miry clay, and if you attempt to pull him up, you have a 50 - 50 chance of succeeding or failing. According to today’s reading, you have no communion, concord, part, agreement, or fellowship with an unbeliever.  The unbeliever cannot offer you any of these in marriage so you are only wasting your time and spiritually digging a grave for yourself. Break that relationship with that unbeliever today! Another thing of note is that you should not choose a baby Christian until you are sure he or she is truly saved. Let the fellow find his or her feet spiritually first. In addition, do not be carried away during courtship after you have gotten somebody. Usually, a man is at his best during courtship.  If during courtship he begins to quarrel, beat or fight you, just know that you have found a wrong partner.  They say, Love is blind: but marriage opens its eyes. That man or woman could pretend to be like an angel, but after marriage, the true color will show.  The elders say: The eyes that will last till the evening will not begin to give trouble in the morning. If you are already in courtship and this is the case, go and pray again. When God says marriage to an unbeliever has nothing to offer you, it will take a fool or someone who is wiser than God to go ahead. Do not trap yourself in a lifetime of regret! ACTION POINT: Ask God to guide all our youths and singles to their rightful partners in marriage.

Bring down the fire- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Acts 6-9
NOT THE ULTIMATE
MEMORIZE: “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” (Heb. 6:1) READ: Acts 2:41-43 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). After the Early Church received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they did not go to sleep. They still had time to seek God and obey Him and this was why the Pentecostal fire continued to burn. However, in today’s church, it is assumed that once you are born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, you have attained the greatest spiritual height. No wonder they go into spiritual slumber from there! But come to ask yourself: Why is it that the Early Church received the Holy Spirit and was full of signs and wonders but today’s Church receive the same Holy Spirit yet hardly see any sign or wonder? Could it be that the Holy Spirit they received then is not the One we receive today? Or is it that God is partial by favoring the Early Church above the Latter Church? In Hebrews 6:1-3, we are told that Salvation experience and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are only foundational Christian experiences, and we must of necessity move on from that point. These are elementary experiences. Refusing to move forward from there is like having a certificates in a course of study without using it. Over a period, even the knowledge would be lost. Acts 1:8 says after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the fire power would follow. Many who have received the baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues hardly experience the fire power because they think it is automatic. No it’s not! The ability to speak in the language of the Spirit is given to you when baptized in the Holy Ghost so that you can regularly engage in it to bring down the fire. If you have been baptized in the Holy Ghost, wait in His presence for fire. When the fire comes, it will announce itself. Fill yourself with God’s Word. Pray regularly for 1-3 hours in tongues. Sing hymns and make melody in your heart to the Lord (Col. 3:15). Obey the Lord completely and win souls. Cultivate friendship with the Holy Spirit and His fire will fall. Ask for that fire today. Until the fire falls, your speaking in tongues will not be given the importance it deserves. Ask for the fire. Wait until the fire falls. ACTION POINT: At different periods, men like Elijah and Paul brought down fire literarily or spiritually. What are you doing to attract fire in your time?

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.

It is sheer favor- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Acts 1-2
IT IS SHEER FAVOUR
MEMORIZE: “And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Gen. 39:3) READ: Genesis 39:1-6 A friend of mine invited me to hold Bible study in his house. Being a wealthy man, he invited men of his class to attend it. There was this young man who managed to sneak into this meeting. He wasn’t wealthy but just rich. He had only 10 petrol stations. At the end of the teaching, he came to me and told me how blessed he was through the message. Then he gave me a gift of 10,000 dollars. As I received it, I blessed him and told him next time it will be more. He said Amen and left. The following year, I was re-invited by my friend and that young man was also present. At the end of the teaching, he came to me and said when he gave me a gift the previous year and I prayed that it will be more the following year, he did not understand what I meant. But that within one year, his fuel stations had increased from 10 to 110. Then he gave me another gift. While receiving it, I prayed that it will be more the next time and with all his strength he said ‘Amen’. Today, he is an example of the flourishing, having several fuel stations and businesses in the UK and other places. This year, the Lord will cause you to flourish in Jesus’ Name. Peter is one person who experienced what it means to flourish. What should I do to flourish? In today’s reading, when the Lord got to the lake, He saw two empty ships but He chose Peter’s. The first thing you will need to flourish is divine favor. In Romans 9:15-16, God said it is solely His prerogative to choose who to show mercy or compassion on. It is not necessarily your will or desire. You may desire it but if God has not chosen you for it, that blessing may elude you. As the elders say, It is not lack of food that does not allow a cat to be as big as a dog. They also say that Struggling does not necessarily lead to prosperity. Many people have toiled for several years of their lives. They have worked so hard yet have remained poor. It is favor. With divine favor, you are singled out of a crowd to receive help or support you do not even know of. In today’s reading, Joseph was just an ordinary servant like others in the house of Potiphar. But through divine favor, he rose to the peak of responsibility in that household. Through divine favor, he finally got to the throne of Egypt. One prayer you ought to make regularly is; Father, let me find favor in your sight. Those who became anything significant in the Bible had their fair share of divine favor. Are you enjoying this favor now? ACTION POINT: Go for medical check up at least once or twice annually and take adequate care of your body to enable it serve you.

Committed to serve- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kgs 23 - 25
COMMITTED TO SERVE
MEMORIZE: “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth ” (Eph 4:28) READ: 1 Kings 19:19-21 Elisha’s response to the call to service is an outstanding case study in commitment, loyalty and faithfulness. The day Elijah threw his mantle on him, he left everything and went after the man of God. Although he was of rich parents, he never allowed the wealth of his parents to stand in his way.  Today, what separates some people from God’s call is their wealth, possession, position or achievements. They would wonder: ‘How can I leave my safe haven for the unknown? How will I take care of my family and give them qualitative education if I go on full time ministry?’ But they have forgotten that the One who has called them is the Creator of Heaven and earth, the Owner of silver and gold and that He has their future already figured out. Are you resisting God’s call on your life because you have no physical assurance?  Fear not! Those children you are bothered about are not yours but God’s. You cannot care more for another man’s child than the biological parents.  The Lord will make a way for you! If you refuse to heed God’s call on your life, especially when the time  has come, it means you are walking in unbelief, and cannot entrust God with your life. That is an insult to the Most High. That act of unbelief can land you in trouble. The call met Elisha working in the farm. Some children of rich parents want everything done for them by house helps. This is wrong! Elisha was unlike them. I told my pastors that anyone who avoids manual labor cannot be used of God in the miraculous. Any hand that cannot wash clothes, iron, cook, wash toilet or sweep, that wants to raise the dead should prepare to be on Heaven’s waiting list. To be mightily used of God, assign some domestic chores to house helps but keep some for yourself and be ready to work with your hands. While others in Elisha’s category were thinking of pleasure, he was thinking of hardwork. While others were sitting at home with legs crossed, he was thinking of how to please God. No wonder his commitment and hardwork delivered the double portion anointing to him, and he was called Daddy by kings. His greatest asset however was the possession of a servant-spirit and he served to the end. Whenever you serve your parents or spiritual parents to the end, be assured that God will start something with you. After the end is a new beginning. Many fail to get a new beginning because they did not serve till the end. No matter how educated or wealthy you become, always remember to uphold, respect and honor your parents because they were the passage through which you came into this world. ACTION POINT: Thank God for your biological and spiritual parents. Ask God for grace to start serving God from where they stopped.

THE ROOT OF DAVID- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kgs 18-22
THE ROOT OF DAVID
MEMORIZE: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4) READ: Job 14:7-9 Jesus Christ is the Root of David. One reason He bears this title is so as to guarantee your stability. Apart from this, the root is the source through which a tree feeds. All the nutrients, minerals and water that a tree receives come from the roots. Everything that keeps a tree alive comes from its roots. John 1:4 says, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men”. Jesus Christ is man’s source of life. If you do not have Him, you cannot access divine life. He remains the channel through which we receive our blessings from God (Gal. 3:14). Do you go to receive a daily measure of life from the One who is The Life? Another implication of Jesus as root is that He gives us hope of rejuvenation. It is not easy to kill a tree. When a tree is cut down, as long as it retains its roots, every effort will be geared towards its come back. Hence, Job 14:7 says, “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease”. Are you a believer but were knocked down by the problems of life, the satanic host or the flesh? You are coming back! Don’t give up! A tree has hope. As long as Jesus is your root, you have hope for a come back. There is hope for you! Were you defeated several times in your bid to achieve a particular goal? Don’t lose hope! As long as you are still connected with the Root, you will make it. In addition, Jesus Christ is called the Root of David. That means He can be the root of an individual like you, or a family, community or even a nation. The Lord will be the root of your family from today. That was David’s experience. One major benefit here is that when Jesus becomes your root, you will remain eternally relevant. Thousands of years after the death of David, Abraham, Paul, Peter, etc. their fame is still spreading everywhere just because they took the step one day to make Jesus Christ their root. They have remained relevant after thousands of years whereas some popular people who died just 10, 20 or 30 years ago have almost been completely forgotten. Make Jesus the root of your life, family, business and it shall be well with you. ACTION POINT: Lord Jesus, be the root of my family and generations after me.

Mockery to Celebration- Open Heavens devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kgs 15-17
MOCKERY TO CELEBRATION
MEMORIZE: “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them” (Isa 61:7) READ: Mark 10:46-52 When the new anointing comes, it will repeat what it has done in the life of your father. It can open doors that had been long shut and even frustrate internal enemies. Many years ago, a man came in company with his wife to our church at Ebute Metta, Lagos. Not long after, we noticed he was coming alone. Disturbed, we decided to follow up his wife. When we met her, she said she had to stop coming because since she started coming to our church, at night when she was about to fly to their meeting, she would hit the roof and fall back. The new anointing on you will expose and frustrate every internal enemy in your life this season. Another possibility of the new anointing is its ability to move someone from being mocked to being celebrated. When Elisha followed his master Elijah from city to city, the other sons of the prophets embarrassed him but he simply told them to hold their peace. By the time he returned with the new anointing, all those who were mocking him bowed to him. The truth remains that those who pay the price to obtain the new anointing would always be distinguished. People keep manufacturing excuses for laziness. Do you want to be a key player in the spiritual realm? Do you want to operate in the miraculous? What have you done to get there? Elisha went the extra mile and he got the double portion anointing. What price have you paid? Until you leave your comfort zone and dare to be different, the anointing for the next level may not come. Have you been ignored for so long? Have people pushed you out of prominence? Have certain antecedents worked against you? Crying, self pity, and resignation to fate are not what you need: you need to hold on to God until your change comes. You need to go to God for what money cannot buy. In Mark 10:46-52, the same people who shut up erstwhile blind Bartimeaus were the ones the Lord sent to bring him. And when he received his brand new eyes, his critics celebrated with him. If he had not attracted Heaven’s attention, he would have died a blind man. As you take steps to acquire the new anointing, I see God causing you to celebrate with former critics and mockers in attendance. It shall be well with you. ACTION POINT: Father, as I have been mocked because I lacked the anointing, let me be celebrated as You release Your anointing upon me today.

IN THE SPIRIT?- Open Heavens devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kgs 11-14
IN THE SPIRIT?
MEMORIZE: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9) READ: Revelation 1:12-13  “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks” (Rev. 1:12). In today’s reading, John the Beloved wrote that when he heard a voice, he turned to see the voice. Literally, it is impossible to see a voice: you can only hear a voice; But in certain unusual circumstances, the impossible becomes possible. For instance, when you are in the Spirit like John was, you will be able to see what was invisible. When God was about to deliver the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, it is recorded that they saw the noise of trumpets, and not just that they heard it (Exo. 20:18). One lesson here is that your spiritual state has a lot to do with your ability to receive from God. If you are in the Spirit - that is, you have subdued your flesh to the point that your spirit man is alert and most receptive, invisible things can take visible forms before you. The greatest hindrance of believers living the successful Christian life is not Satan but the flesh. A domineering flesh shuts the windows into the supernatural and prevents the spirit man from accessing clear divine revelations. This is why you must be hard on your flesh, never yield to its sinful advances and once in a while starve it of food through fasting. The longer you stay in the Spirit, the more the invisible and inaudible things take on material forms. It is difficult for you to be in the Spirit when you are overfed with physical food. So if you want to be in the Spirit, watch your diet. On the other hand, feed on the Word of God.  Spiritual overfeeding is allowed. Be in prayer mood. Pray in tongues. Focus on God and cut off every distraction. Take time to give God spirit-filled praise, worship and thanksgiving. Open your heart wholly to God. Be sensitive to His voice. As you minister to God, also be full of expectations. Note all Heavenly communications -visions, dreams, voice, scriptures, impressions on your spirit man, ideas, etc. It is also important to set yourself apart just to fellowship with the King of kings. Take time to mediate on key scriptures.  When last were you in the Spirit? Nothing is impossible to the one who is in Spirit. Quit that fleshly position for the spiritual today. ACTION POINT: Ask for grace to keep your flesh permanently under so that your spirit man can be in charge.