Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: SUNDAY APRIL 2ND, 2023.

THEME: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

MEMORISE: 

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

Ephesians 6:18

READ: Ephesians 6:10 -18

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

MESSAGE 

Human beings are faced with all kinds of wars from their conception all through to the day they leave this earth. Genesis 38:27 says that when a woman is in labor; she is travailing. After she puts to bed, the child begins to confront all kinds of enemies - known and unknown. In Matthew 10:36, Jesus Christ Himself said a man's foes will be they of his own household. If the Lord showed you all the relatives and family friends who wanted you to die in infancy, it would surprise you, but thank God you survived. 

When we talked about household enemies, it could be your father or even your mother. If you don't believe that parents can be their children's enemies, read Genesis 27, where you will see how a mother plotted against her own son and denied him of his blessings.

I have always wondered about when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him and Isaac asked where the lamb for the sacrifice was. Instead of his father telling him the truth, he said instead, "God will provide". Isaac must have looked around, shocked as his father was tying him up, thinking, "So l am the ram?"

What about in-laws? Read 1 Samuel 18:29 and you will see a man - King Saul, being described as the enemy of his son-in-law - David. That is not to talk about witches and wizards, principalities and powers et cetera (Ephesians 6:12). In this warfare, there are two different hosts fighting for the souls of men. You can either decide to take sides with the heavenly host or the demonic hosts - you cannot be neutral. What determines the side you pick are your actions and inactions. If you pick the side of God, then you will stay away from sin and cling to Jesus Christ daily (Luke 9:23), you will pray, study your Bible, witness and do all that He requires of you daily. Those who pick the devil's side live according to the dictates of their flesh and commit sin. For those who stay away from sin, they will end up victorious and make it to heaven at the end  (Revelation 3:5), while those who commit sin will end up in the lake of fire with the devil and his demons. (Matthew 25:41). The choice is in your actions.

REFLECTION 

Check your life and be sincere with yourself: Are you on the side of Jesus Christ or on the side of the devil?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 4-7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD

1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith,

And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To the cross where Thou hast died;

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,

By the pow’r of grace divine;

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

And my will be lost in Thine.

3 O the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend!

4 There are depths of love that I yet may know

Ere Thee face to face I see;

There are heights of joy that I yet may reach

Ere I rest in peace with Thee.