Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026.

TOPIC: INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT 2

MEMORISE

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. - (Luke 12:48)

READ: Matthew 25:14-30 (KJV)

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

MESSAGE

Referencing the example I gave in the first paragraph of yesterday's teaching, if God gives you an assignment, He will provide you with the resources you need to execute it. Some of those resources will be around you, and others will be within you. As we see in today's memory verse, to whom much is given, much is expected, so the more resources God gives you, the more results He expects from you.

People who feel that God has not given them enough resources must be careful that they do not become like the servant who despised the talent his master gave him, as we read in today's Bible reading. Some people feel that the resources they have are insufficient and try to wait for God to give them something better or more before they can start being faithful with the little they have. Beloved, this is a wrong mindset. A person who cannot be faithful with what he or she has received should not expect to receive more. God only gives more to those who have proven themselves faithful in little things.

I hail from a village that was not on the map. My father was so poor that people who were also poor called him poor. Even though my parents were poor and I did not have many resources growing up, God gave me one talent, and that is my brain. I used the talent God gave me very effectively by studying diligently, and gradually, I acquired many more resources with it. The Lord gave me salvation in 1973, and from that point onward, I became a very useful vessel in His hands. When I reflect on the great things God has enabled me to achieve despite the limited resources I started out with, I always praise the Lord for His faithfulness. Indeed, when a fellow is faithful with little, more will be committed to him or her.

Child of God, look around and within you, and you will see all the great gifts that God has given to you. Don't fail Him; please, use those gifts to win more souls to the Kingdom of God. Use them to gain so much influence that when you speak, people will be willing to listen and serve the same God that you serve. I pray that the Almighty God will use you to accomplish mighty things in His Kingdom as you serve Him faithfully with the gifts He has given you, in Jesus' name. 

REFLECTION

Are you serving God faithfully with the gifts He has given you? 

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 28 - 30

HYMN 12 - ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS!

1. Onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, 

Looking unto Jesus, 

Who is gone before; 

Christ, the Royal Master, 

Leads against the foe; 

Forward into battle, 

See His banners go. 

CHORUS 

Onward, Christian soldiers! 

Marching as to war, 

Looking unto Jesus, 

Who is gone before. 

2. At the name of Jesus 

Satan's host doth Ilee; On then, Christian soldiers On to victory! Hell's foundations quiver At the shout of praise: Brothers, lift your voices, 

Loud your anthems raise. 

3. Like a mighty army 

Moves the Church of God: Brothers, we are treading 

Where the saints have trod. 

We are not divided, All one body we One in hope and doctrine, One in charity. 

4. Crowns and thrones may 

perish Kingdoms rise and wane; But the Church of Jesus 

Constant will remain: Gates of hell can never 'Gainst that church prevail; We have Christ's own promise And that cannot fail. 

5. Onward then, ye people, 

Join our happy throng; 

Blend with ours your voices 

In the triumph song: "Glory, praise and honour, Unto Christ the King", - This, through countless ages, Men and angels sing.

God bless you as you share.

#SeekFirsttheKingdomofGod #GodSeekers #GBY 

RCCG 75th Annual Convention!

Theme: The Most High God

Date: August 2027

Venue:The Redemption City

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

Tuesday 11th August 2026

INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT 1

‎ 

‎These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

‎

READ: Proverbs 31: 1-9

‎Special Note.

‎These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his disciples in Christ, who was inspired and  mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional  authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

‎

‎These prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

‎

‎To be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

‎

‎Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire, in Jesus' name I pray.

‎

‎PRAYER POINTS

1.Father, thank You for saving my soul and laying for me a sure foundation in Christ Jesus for a secured glorious future.

2.Father, thank You for Your promise to straighten my crooked paths, and to make plain my rough places. Thank You for the infilling of the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me on knowing Your will.

3.Father, thank You for Your plan and purpose for my life. Thank You for Your wish for me to prosper, and to be in good health even as my soul prosper.

4.Father, please help me not to jeopardize the glorious future You have planned for me, but to invest in myself, good virtues of holiness, hard work, knowledge and great interpersonal skills, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please help me to avoid unproductive habits, and to be disciplined in all areas of my life so I can go far in life to fulfill Your purpose, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me to pay the price to attain a glorious future, to sacrifice time and every resources needed to become the person You have created me to be, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me to separate myself from any defilement that may corrupt my destiny; even in a strange land, help me to keep myself for You, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me to invest the right resources in myself, to run the race lawfully according to Your will, so I can obtain the heavenly reward/prize, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please help me to let go of unnecessary weights of laziness, lack of self-control and sin that may hinder me from fulfilling Your plans for my life, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please help me to invest the right resources in my life so I can fulfill Your plans for me, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

‎

Help him to leave a good heritance do his children's children children, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus' name 

‎

‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎14.Your personal petitions.

‎(Philippians 4:6)

‎

‎15.In Jesus' name I pray.

‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

‎

‎#Godblessournation

‎BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 25-27

‎

‎Note:

‎You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points.

‎

‎The Holy Spirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone's else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His Glory with Him in the process.

‎

‎Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus' name

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH 2026.

TOPIC: INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT I

MEMORISE

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. - (1 Corinthians 9:24)

BIBLE READING: PROVERBS 31:1-9 (KJV)

1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

MESSAGE

The farther you want to go in life, the more you must invest in yourself. For example, if you are driving a car with a tank full of petrol from Lagos, which is in South West Nigeria, to somewhere in Northern Nigeria, you will need to refuel your car at some point during the course of your journey. However, if you were only going to Ibadan, which is also a city in the South West of Nigeria, you wouldn't need to stop on your way to buy more petrol.

Anyone who wants to go far in life must invest resources that include holiness, hard work, knowledge, and good interpersonal skills in his or her life, while avoiding unproductive habits such as binge-watching movies, scrolling aimlessly on social media, wild partying, and the like. Discipline is required to go far in life. I recall when I was a child, my mother would compel me to stay indoors and study while my friends were outdoors playing football. I used to complain a lot about it, but she insisted until it became a part of me. One time, I was at my uncle's place, where a masquerade show was taking place on the street, and everyone was outside watching the show except me. My uncle came to me and asked why I didn't go outside to watch the show, and I responded, "The fellow everyone will watch someday does not sit around watching shows." Many years later, when God had lifted me, he reminded me of that day and said, "Today, the whole world is watching you."

Beloved, what you invest in yourself is what will determine your height in life. While the other captives in the king of Babylon's palace were busy dining and feasting on the king's delicacies, Daniel and his three counterparts focused on consecrating themselves to the Lord (Daniel 1:3-12). I believe that they were not the only Jews in the king's palace at that time, but they were the only ones who went on to do exploits because they invested the right resources in themselves.

Child of God, if you have big dreams that you want to see come to pass, then you must pay the price to invest in yourself. You must also let go of unnecessary weights, such as laziness and a lack of self-control, as well as impurities like sin, which can hinder you from fulfilling God's plans for your life. I pray that you will fulfil God's plans for your life, in Jesus' name. 

PRAYER POINT

Father, please help me to invest the right resources in my life so I can fulfil Your plans for me, in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR JEREMIAH 25 - 27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 20 - I'M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY

1. I'm pressing on the upward way, New heights I'm gaining 

everyday; Still praying as I onward bound "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground." 

CHORUS 

Lord, lift me up and let me stand, By faith, on Heaven's table-land; Where love, and joy, and light abound, Lord, plant my feet on higher 

ground. 

2.  My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise, and fears dismay; though some may dwell where these abound, My constant aim is higher ground.

 

3.  Beyond the mist I fain would rise, to rest beneath unclouded skies, above earth's turmoil peace is found By those who dwell on higher ground. 

4. I long to scale the utmost height, Though rough the way, and hard the fight, My song, while climbing, shall resound Lord, lead me on to higher ground. 

5.  Lord, lead me up the mountain side I dare not climb without my Guide; And, heaven gained, I'll gaze around, With grateful heart from higher ground.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

MONDAY, 10TH AUGUST, 2026

YOUR LEGACY IS NOT FOR SALE

‎ 

PRAYER POINTS

1.Father, thank You for bringing me this far in the journey of life. Thank You for the years I have lived, and all the lessons life had taught me.

2.Father, thank You for the mistakes I had made in time past, thank You for the opportunity to write my wrongs and to live right by Your help.

3.Father, please help me to live a good life; help me to strive to create a good legacy and to guard it jealously. Help me never to trade it for anything, no matter how enticing it may appear, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, You have given me a good name as Your son/daughter, and You have called me a king and a priest, please help me to guard the good name You have given me, and never to leave a bad legacy for my descendants, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please guide my actions and decisions in life so I won't expose my family and consequently my descendants to the enemies, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me never to sell my legacy as a child of God for anything else in this world, may I not take actions that may jeopardize my future and those of my generation to come, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me to be a good father/mother, and to leave a good inheritance for my children's children, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me not to deprive them of their inheritance or give them a bad name that they will be ashamed of. Help me never to open the door for the enemy to torment, afflict, or capture my descendants, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please do not let me be the one that will expose my family to ancestral battles. If there is anything I have done that can affect my children and their descendants, please show me Your mercy, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please cleanse me with the blood of Jesus, and rewrite the story of my family. Help me to leave a very good legacy for my descendants, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

‎

Help him to leave a good heritance do his children's children children, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name 

‎

‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.

‎

‎14.Your personal petitions.

‎(Philippians 4:6)

‎

‎15.In Jesus name I pray.

‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

‎

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry date! Please join us in prayer, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 

MONDAY,  AUGUST 10th,   2026.

THEME : YOUR LEGACY IS NOT FOR SALE. 

MEMORISE :  

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. - 

PROVERBS 13 : 22.

READ: 2 KINGS 20 : 12 - 19 :

12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.

17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.

18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

MESSAGE  : 

You should always ask yourself this question, especially as you advance in age: "What will people say about me when I am gone?" The truth is that the way you are living your life now will determine what people will say about you when you are gone. This is why you must strive to create a good legacy and guard it jealously. You must never trade it for anything, no matter how enticing it may appear.

Beloved, your legacy will include the name you will leave behind after you exit the earth. While King Hezekiah was a good king, he left a bad legacy for his descendants. In (2 Kings 20:1-11), the king of Babylon sent emissaries to check on him, and he foolishly showed them all the treasures in his house and kingdom. His actions exposed his kingdom and consequently his descendants to the enemy. When Isaiah told him that the consequence of his foolish actions would be the captivity of his children and that all the treasures of his land would be carted away by the king of Babylon, he replied, "Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?" Surprisingly, he was okay with the captivity not happening in his time, but in the days of his children. His actions were clearly unwise. Hezekiah sold his legacy just because he wanted to display his wealth. His descendants would always remember him as the one who exposed them to the enemy and made them lose the kingdom. Today's memory verse tells us that a good man will leave an inheritance for his children's children. He will not deprive them of their inheritance or give them a bad name that they will be ashamed of. I pray that you will not open the door for the enemy to torment, afflict, or capture your descendants, in Jesus' name.

Every family that is battling one ancestral problem or another was exposed to it by someone in their lineage; do not be such a person. If you have done things that you are not proud of, and you know that those things can affect your children and their descendants, run to God for mercy today. Ask Him to cleanse you with His blood and rewrite your family's story. No matter how old you are, as long as you are alive, there is still hope of leaving a good legacy for your descendants. 

REFLECTION  :  What legacy are you leaving behind for your descendants? 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :  JEREMIAH 22 - 24.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 28 :GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH. 

1. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty, 

Hold me with Thy powerful 

hand: Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven! Feed me now and evermore. (2ce) 

2. Open Thou the crystal fountain, 

Whence the healing stream 

doth flow: Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey 

through: Song deliverer! Song deliverer! Be Thou still my strength and shield. (2ce)

3. If I tread the verge of Jordan, 

Bid my anxious fears subside: Bear me through the swelling torrent, Land me safe on Canaan's side: Songs of praises! Songs of praises! I will ever give to Thee. (2ce) 

4. Saviour, come! We long to see thee, long to dwell with thee above and to know in full communion, all the sweetness of Thy love. Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus!  Take thy waiting people home. (2ce)

God bless you as you share.

#SeekFirsttheKingdomofGod #GodSeekers #GBY

Open Heavens Prayer Points

‎PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

Sunday 9th August 2026 

THE ANOINTING IS NOT FOR SALE

‎ 

‎These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎READ: 1Peter 5: 2-4

KEY POINT:

The anointing is not to be used for personal gain but to serve the will and purpose of the One who gave it.

‎Special Note.

‎These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his disciples in Christ, who was inspired and  mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional  authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

‎

‎These prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

‎

‎To be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

‎

‎Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire, in Jesus' name I pray.

‎

‎PRAYER POINTS

1.Father, thank You for the salvation of my soul and for releasing Your Spirit upon me. Thank You for anointing me to preach the Good News, with signs and wonders following.

2.Father, thank You for freely giving me Your anointing to heal the sick, to cleanse the lepers, to raise the dead and to cast out devils.

3.Father, please help me to use Your anointing on me to edify Your people and to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, and not for personal gains, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, as it pleases You to use me to perform miracles, please help me never to take the glory nor to covet a reward from the recipient of such miracles, but to return all glory to You at all times, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please help me never to be tempted to feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from You through Your anointing upon me, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me and all Your pastors, to be true shepherd over the flocks You have put under us. Help me to nurture and feed them with Your word and not to be a hireling or to exploit them, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me not to use the anointing You have bestowed on me to manipulate the people; rather than being a lord over them, help me to use the anointing to serve willingly and joyfully, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me to be like Jesus, Who went about doing good, healing those who are oppressed by the devil, and also to serve those under me, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please help me to use the anointing to bless those You have sent me to, and not to exploit or victimize them, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please show me Your mercy and help me not to fail You. Help me to use the anointing to serve Your will and purpose, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

‎

May he never trade Your anointing upon his life for anything in this world, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus' name 

‎

‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.

‎

‎14.Your personal petitions.

‎(Philippians 4:6)

‎

‎15.In Jesus' name I pray.

‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

‎

‎#Godblessournation

‎BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 15-17

‎

‎Note:

‎You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points.

‎

‎The Holy Spirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone's else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His Glory with Him in the process.

‎

‎Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus' name

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY AUGUST 9TH 2026

TOPIC: THE ANOINTING IS NOT FOR SALE

MEMORISE:

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." Matthew 10:8

BIBLE READING: 1 PETER 5:2-4

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

MESSAGE:

When God anoints a person, He expects him or her to use the anointing to edify His people and spread the gospel. As we see in today's Bible reading, God does not want the anointing to be used for personal gain.

I often tell the pastors under my supervision that when God uses them to perform a miracle, they must never demand or expect any reward from the person who received the miracle. In today's memory verse, Jesus told his disciples that they had received the anointing freely and they should also give it out freely. The One who performs miracles is God, not the people He has anointed. Therefore, you should never feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from God through His anointing upon you. Some self-professing ministers of God even go as far as selling olive oil, water, handkerchiefs, and other similar items that they claim have been anointed to those who come to them for prayers. Such conduct reveals that they are hirelings who are looking to exploit God's sheep rather than being shepherds who should nurture and feed them.

Beloved, you are not to use the anointing that God bestowed on you to manipulate people. Some people demand that they should be called 'Father in the Lord' just because God has used them to heal headaches. Being anointed does not qualify anyone to become a lord over others; rather, the anointing ought to be used to serve people. Peter knew that such temptations would arise, which was why he told some church leaders in today's Bible reading to feed the flock of God willingly and with a ready mind. He also warned them not to use God's anointing upon their lives for selfish gain.

Jesus Christ, our perfect example, exemplified how to use the anointing God bestows upon a person. He went about doing good and healing those who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38), and also served His followers (John 13:3-15).

Beloved, like Jesus, use the anointing you have received from God to bless those He has sent you to; do not use it to exploit or victimise others. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and you will give an account of all the things He has given to you one day. Always remember that the anointing you have received from God is a tool to serve Him, edify His people, cater to their needs, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

KEY POINT:

The anointing is not meant to be used for personal gain but to serve the will and purpose of the One who gave it.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 18-21

HYMN 24: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

1 I want to be like Jesus,

So lowly and so meek;

For no one mark'd an angry word,

That ever heard Him speak. 

2 I want to be like Jesus,

So frequently in prayer;

Alone upon the mountain top,

He met his Father there. 

3 I want to be like Jesus,

I never, never find

That He, though persecuted was

To any one unkind.

4 I want to be like Jesus,

Engaged in doing good;

So that of me it may be said

"He hath done what he could." 

5 I want to be like Jesus,

Who sweetly said to all,

"Let little children come to Me;"

I would obey the call. 

6 But oh I'm not like Jesus,

As any one may see;

O gentle Saviour, send Thy grace,

And make me like to Thee.