Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. May the Lord by His mercy give you and I the grace to increase in the knowledge of who He is and in the knowledge and understanding of His word never looking back in Jesus mighty name.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023.
THEME: THE WORKS OF GRACE VII
MEMORISE:
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1 Corinthians 10:23
READ: 1 Corinthians 6:11 -12
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
MESSAGE
Over the past six days we learnt that God first draws you to Him and if you yield, He saves you by cleansing you with His blood. Sanctification and baptism in the Holy Spirit then follows, after which you receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. We will round off this study today by looking at how the Lord brings His children to perfection.
Our Lord Jesus said In Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." In this context, perfection can be understood as when you only do things that edify. There are some things that may not be regarded as sin in themselves but then, they are not edifying. The place of perfection is when you avoid such things. This is when you begin to see some things that, though lawful, are not expedient for you to do. (1 Corinthians 10:23).
For example, gossip may not be viewed as sin, but does it edify you? Only a few people get to this stage in their walk with Christ - where they have gone beyond just what is sin and what is not, engaging only in things that edify them while avoiding things that don't.
One of the signs that a person is experiencing this work of grace is that the fellow will pay attention to doctrine. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is therefore profitable, amongst other things, for doctrine which will lead you to perfection. This, even when you have been performing miracles, signs and wonders, you still need to pay attention to doctrine because "Forever O Lord, thy word is settled " (Psalm 119:89).
God is therefore saying to you, whatever level you are in now, "Come up higher". Don't just stay on the level of being cleansed from your son's, move to being sanctified. Don't think that the moment you can speak in tongues, then you have arrived; go on to receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit and then ensure you also produce the fruit thereof, so that the gifts don't destroy you. And lastly, be amongst the rare set of people who are made perfect (Matthew 5:48). You have to keep going higher until you become perfect, such that people would look at you and say that you are a true child of God.
PRAYER POINT
Father, I want to be perfect as You are; please take me to this level, in Jesus' name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 6-8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 10: IN CHRIST ALONE
1 In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
2 In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
3 Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens:
(Monday, September 11, 2023)
THE WORKS OF GRACE 6
Special Note.
These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his , disciples, of 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.
Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.
If you want 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.Thank You, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for helping me to crucify the flesh with it's affections and lusts.
2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and
forgive me; let Your mercy prevail over judgement of sin in my life, in Jesus name.
3.Father, remove from my life, every spirit of spiritual pride, in Jesus name.
4.Father, as I live in the spirit, let me also walk in the spirit, in Jesus name.
5.Father, please let me begin to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit from today, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, please, let me be fruitful in every good work, in Jesus name.
7.Father, when men see me, let them see Your glory in my life, in Jesus name.
8.Father, let my lifet and ministry attract multitudes into Your Kingdom, in Jesus name.
9.Father, please, let my fruits abide; don't let me come back to You empty handed, in Jesus name.
10.Father, bless your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye; and, bless his ministry, home, and family (biological and spiritual), forever, in Jesus name.
11.Father, bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus name.
12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.
13.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
14.In Jesus name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
15.Thank You Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation
These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name.
Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's, books ministry.
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.
Psalms 105:8 (KJV) He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. May the Lord visit you remember His covenant with you, bless you, open up doors hitherto shut against you, fill your life with overflowing joy and increase His strength in you in Jesus mighty name.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2023.
THEME: THE WORKS OF GRACE VI
MEMORISE:
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 7:18
READ: Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
MESSAGE
As we continue with our lessons on the works of grace, we will study a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in believers called 'the fruit of the Holy Spirit'. If a Christian has gifts of the Holy Spirit but does not have the fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in our Bible reading of today such a person is headed for destruction. An example of this is when a believer becomes proud because God performs miracles through him or her. Matthew 7:22-23 says: 'Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will l profess unto them, l never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity". They had the gifts of prophecy and working of miracles, but God didn't even know them. That is because though the gift was present in their lives, the fruit was absent. This is why you must never be satisfied with just having the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The fruit is more important than the gift, so you must ensure that you experience this important work of grace.
According to Galatians 5:22:23, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. While you may already be working miracles, God is asking you to move higher. You may be performing miracles, yet are difficult to live with, you might get the gifts and still end up in hell. What will it profit you if you are a powerful evangelist but get left behind when the rapture takes place? Of what use is your anointing if you will end up in the same place as the devil? Anointing is good and l love it, but l don't want to be anointed and then become a candidate of hell; God forbid. Jesus Christ said if you want to know those who will go to heaven, look out for the fruit of the Holy Spirit in them, not the gifts.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:20-21
Don't be deceived by the anointing of God already at work in your live. If you don't manifest the fruit of the Spirit, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please let me begin to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit from today, in Jesus name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 4-5
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]
3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey
Isaiah 35:10 (KJV) And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. May the Lord by His mercy count you and I as the ransomeฤ of the Lord in Jesus mighty name. Happy Sunday!!!
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2023.
THEME: THE WORKS OF GRACE V
MEMORISE:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1 Peter 1:8
BIBLE READING:1 CORINTHIANS 12:7 -11
7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
MESSAGE
Having the Holy Spirit does not mean that you have arrived - not at all. He gave you the Holy Spirit for a reason and that is to witness according to Acts 1:8. A witness is someone who tells others about what they have seen or heard. When God asks you to witness, He is saying you should tell people about the things you have heard and seen about Him. To really prove that what you are telling them is true, He gives you, gifts of the Spirit. This is the work of grace that comes after the Holy Ghost baptism.
There are basically nine gifts of the Spirit, as seen in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and they can be grouped into three. One group is called the revelation gifts. The revelation gifts consist of the Word of Wisdom, Word of knowledge and Discerning of Spirits. When you hear someone say something about you that he or she could not possibly have known except God told him or her, that is the Word of knowledge. For example, while l am preaching many times, God tells me things about people in the congregation and l announce it starting with "There is someone here ...". Despite not knowing these people, what l announce is usually the exact situation of the people involved - that is the Word of knowledge at work. God knows all things and from time to time reveals them to those whom He has given this gift to. It is a powerful gift of the Holy Spirit.
There is another group of gifts called the Power Gifts - the Gift of Faith, the Gift of Healing and the Gift of the Working of Miracles. Then of course there are three others called the Vocal Gifts - these are the Gifts of Prophecy, diverse kinds of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues. The Almighty God can give you any of these 9 gifts after you are baptised in the Holy Spirit and have started working for Him. Interestingly, 1 Corinthians 12:31 says: "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew l unto you a more excellent way."
The only place in the Bible where you are allowed to be covetous is when it comes to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. After my Holy Spirit baptism, l asked God for all the gifts and He answered me. I give Him glory and honour that when you ask Him, He is more than willing to give.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please give me all the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 1-3
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1 Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
