Monthly Archives: March 2021

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021: THE MEAL THAT REMINDS!

MEMORISE:
“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.” – (1 Corinthians 11:24)

READ: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (KJV)

23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread;

24. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.

25. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

MESSAGE:
One significant reason the Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper) was inaugurated by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is revealed in our memory verse of today. When Jesus Christ says we should observe the Holy Communion often in remembrance of Him, it is because He knows what it took to die for His friends; He would not want that feat to be forgotten. There is the tendency to forget the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ which led to His death and resurrection.

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. – (Hebrews 6:6)

The reason for backsliding may not be unconnected with a believer’s loss of memory concerning the agony of death which the Saviour suffered for our salvation. The Bible says:
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. – (1 Timothy 4:6)

The story is told of a wretched hunter who by the stroke of grace became a king, though with a warning that he should not step out of his boundaries by entering into a room forbidden to kings. Many years into his reign, he felt that he was being unnecessarily restrained and decided to enter the room only to return to the old wretched position he had been in as a hunter. This is what happens when believers forget where they are coming from.

The Holy Communion should be taken as frequently as possible to enable us remember the death of our Lord Jesus Christ and the reason for it. The Bible says we should not be forgetful hearers but doers of the work (James 1:25). We announce the death and resurrection of our Lord without having to preach it when we gather to commemorate it through the Holy Communion. Everyone is compelled to examine himself or herself so that he or she does not eat to damnation, according to our text of today, Paul the apostle wrote further that we should remember that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead after His passion and death; that if we also endure as He did, we shall reign with him (2 Timothy 2:8-12). May the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ avail for us through eternity in Jesus’ name.

REFLECTION:
Examine yourself to know whether or not you are still in the faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Thessalonians 1-3

AUTHOR: Pastor E A ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY 28TH MARCH 2021: REJOICE EVERMORE.

MEMORISE:
Rejoice evermore. 1 Thessalonians 5:16

READ: Nehemiah 8:9-10

9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

MESSAGE:

Discouragement is one major weapon the devil uses to ruin people’s destinies. A fellow that is discouraged cannot have the strength to move on. Our memory verse for today says you should rejoice forever because when you let sadness into your life, it will hinder the achievement of your goals in life. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and you will need it in order to fulfil destiny.

Elijah was a great man with a great destiny to fulfil. He was going very strong until the day discouragement set in. He became so discouraged that he asked God to take his life (1 Kings19 :4). After he made that request, God sent an angel to feed him. Then the Bible says:

“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee.” 1 Kings1 9:7

The journey had become too tough for Elijah because he had become discouraged. He had lost his joy. May you never lose your joy in Jesus’ name.

In our Bible reading for today, we see Nehemiah encouraging the people after he saw them weeping because he knew that without the strength that comes from the joy of the Lord, they would not be able to build the wall.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

You may have many worries and problems that make it difficult for you to rejoice, but the Bible says that a broken spirit will dry your bones. Being worried cannot add a cubit to your stature (Matthew 6:27), neither can it solve any problem; it can only dry your bones.

A fellow who is always gloomy is merely giving negative energy to his or her body system and will often fall sick, but a person who rejoices always will live a long and healthy life.

Choose the joy of the Lord today and receive strength for the Journey ahead.

ACTION POINT:
Cast all your cares on Jesus today and rejoice, singing and dancing as you go through the day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 7-8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY, 26TH MARCH 2021. *TRICKS; NOT POWER.*

MEMORISE:

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:15

READ: Hebrews 2: 14-15

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

MESSAGE:

“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” Psalm 62:11

The above passage says that power belongs to God, not the devil. Many people erroneously believe that the devil is powerful. There is no greater lie than that.
Jesus Christ said:

“… All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18

If all power belongs to Jesus, then no power is left for the devil; he is completely powerless. What the Bible says that we should be aware of are the wiles and devices of the devil (Ephesians 6:11,
2 Corinthians 2:11). He has no power at all, he is merely a trickster.

The devil is cunning, and this makes him dangerous so you must be careful not to fall into his trap.

You must however not ascribe to the devil what he does not possess; all power belongs to my Daddy, The Almighty God.

Like any good magician, the devil has mastered how to use certain elements, including human psychology, to make his tricks look real. He knows how to use different elements to make things up in order to look powerful, but he has no power. The reason the devil does things to deceive people is so that they can fear him. He will begin to whisper different things just to plant fear in your heart because he knows that the moment fear enters a person, faith is gone, and you need faith to move mountains.

If you are a friend of God, constantly seated with Him, you will be above all the tricks of the devil. It is only those who still live in sin that can be afraid of His tricks.

Ephesians1:21 says that Jesus is:

“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Always remember all power belongs to Jesus. All the devil has are mere tricks.

KEY POINT:

Jesus has all the power; the devil only has tricks. Don’t be fooled.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 3-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: Have You Been To Jesus

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

o Refrain:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

 

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 25TH MARCH 2021. SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING IV.

MEMORISE:

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

READ: John 15:4-5

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

MESSAGE:

“Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psalm51:13

We are focusing on Psalm 51 today because it is the prayer of David after he backslid. It is the sincere prayer of a backslider asking for restoration. In the Bible passage quoted above, David said that if God should restore him, he would teach sinners His way. This shows that he had not been witnessing during the period in which he had fallen. When you find out that you are reluctant to win souls, you are already backsliding.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Psalm 51:14-15

Another sign of backsliding is when praising God becomes a casual thing to a believer. David said in the passage above that if God restored him, he would praise Him. This is somebody who the Bible says used to dance with all his might for God, but because he had fallen into sin, even singing became a problem.

You can’t deceive God. When was the last time you worshipped God from the depth of your heart? Check your salvation, is it still intact? Is your fire still burning bright? Are you as hot as you used to be or are you becoming lukewarm? Are you sleeping when you are supposed to be at the war front for the Lord Jesus Christ? Answer these questions honesty within yourself.

I cried to God when I read about how David was relaxing at the time when kings go to war (2 Samuel 11:1-4). This is the man that said, “If nobody will fight Goliath, I will go”. Each time I read of how he slept when he should have been at war, I cry “Father, don’t let my case be like this”. Ask yourself, when was the last time you won a soul for God? When was the last time you were willing to go out into territories no one would want to go to, preaching the gospel and not caring for your life? Are you sure that you are not sleeping when a war is going on?

The devil is waging a war to snatch your soul from the Lord (1 Peter 5:8); wake up from your slumber and return to your first love.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to be vigilant at all times and to be passionate about winning souls for Your kingdom in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 1-2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY 23RD MARCH 2021: SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING II.

MEMORISE:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

READ: Matthew7: 17-18

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

MESSAGE:
A major sign of backsliding is when you discover that your mind is constantly filled with immoral thoughts. A backsliding believer would have all manner of sinful thoughts flow through his or her mind. When David backslide, he cried to God for restoration, saying:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51 :10

His heart had become dirty. He discovered that immoral thoughts now filled his heart. When you begin to harbor immoral thoughts or suddenly become comfortable in revealing clothes, it is a sign that your heart is far from God. In the past, nobody would need to point out a harlot or a thug, they would be easily identified from their dressing. These days, we have professing Christians who dress like harlots and thugs.

When a person backslides, all of a sudden, God seems to be very far from the fellow. Don’t blame Him; His word says:

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, Ye double minded. James 4:8

When you are no longer intimate with God, what do you expect Him to do? David cried in Psalm 51:11 :

“Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”

When Jesus bore the sins of the world on the cross, He had to cry out: ••• My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark15:34

God moved away because He cannot behold sin (Habakkuk 1:13) and He would also depart from any believer who harbors iniquity.

The Holy Spirit cannot stay with someone who is frolicking with sin; He is the Holy Spirit, not an unholy spirit. When you stop reading your Bible daily, you stop praying, you stop witnessing, you reduce your attendance of fellowships, you are drawing far from God. This is the beginning of backsliding and it won’t be long before sin creeps in.

Are any of these signs of backsliding evident in your life? Address them today.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, whatever is drawing me far from You, please remove it from my life today. If I am holding on to it too much, remove it by force, in the Mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 11-113

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 22ND MARCH 2021. SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING I.

MEMORISE:

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:12

READ: 2 Corinthians 13:5-8

5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

MESSAGE:

It is possible that even after being born again for a number of years, a person could backslide and not even notice. There are many people who attend Church regularly but actually belong in the camp of the devil. The devil does not hinder this category of people from going to Church because he knows that if he does, the brethren will follow them up and snatch them from him. Hence, this set of people would appear to still be standing in faith, whereas they had long fallen. What are some of the signs that would show if you are already backsliding?

The first sign of backsliding is the sudden realization that the joy of salvation you once had is gone. If you can remember those early days when you just became born again, how you used to bubble with joy, and somehow, that joy is no longer there, check your faith. David said in Psalm 51:12:

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; an uphold me with thy free spirit.”

David had clearly lost the joy he once felt when he was still standing. If you go back to the sins you’ve forsaken, you would lose the joy of your salvation and sorrow will come. Have you lost the joy of your salvation? Do you still sing and radiate the same joy you once felt when you got born again? Hebrews 1:9 says:

“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

There is a link between righteousness and joy. The moment iniquity comes into your life, joy leaves and sorrow takes over. If you have noticed the absence of joy in your life, check your salvation.

Another sign of backsliding is the departure of peace from the life of a believer. One of the first things people experience when they give their lives to Christ is peace. Philippians 4:7 calls it the peace of God that passes all understanding. Even if the sea roars, the storm rages and the people around you are trembling, you will have peace like a river as long as you remain connected to the Prince of peace. However, the moment you begin to backslide, this divine peace departs even when everything looks aright around you.

Remember, there is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22).

ACTION POINT:

Do you still feel the same peace and joy you did when you became born again? If not, cry to God for restoration now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 8-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY 21ST MARCH 2021–PREACH THE WORD.

MEMORISE:
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2

READ: Luke 8:38-39

38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

MESSAGE:
There is a scarcity of watchmen in the Church today. This does not mean that there are no evangelists; the challenge, however, is the scarcity of those who are actually preaching the word. Many Christians enjoy God’s grace, forgiveness, healing, breakthrough, peace and joy from the preaching of others but fail to share this good news so more people can also benefit from God’s benevolence.

God does not want His children to be content worshipping only in beautiful Cathedrals, rather He wants us to go out and plant Churches – especially in areas where there are none or very few. He wants us to share part of what we have been given. For this reason, the Lord is re-echoing what He said through Paul to Timothy that we should preach the word when it is convenient and even when it is not (2 Timothy 4:2). What makes our preaching worthwhile is when it contains reproof, rebuke, exhortation and sound doctrine. Only by this will people know and be able to obey the word of God. John 7:16-17 says:

“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

Today’s Bible reading reveals a fundamental obligation every genuine Christian which, unfortunately, is usually overlooked today. A demon-possessed man encountered Jesus and was immediately delivered. After the encounter the man wanted to stay with Jesus, but He sent him forth to spread the good news among his people. This is exactly what the Lord expects of us. This injunction, however, does not imply that we should forsake Jesus and do whatever we like. In John 15:4-5, Jesus says:

“Abide in me, and I in you… for without me ye can do nothing.”

At the same time, He also says “•••Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 1 6 :15). Therefore beloved, I encourage you to begin to spread the good news of what the Lord has done for you and what He is capable of doing for others as well. May God help you as you obey Him.

ACTION POINT:
Decide that you will not sleep until you witness about the goodness of Jesus Christ to at least three people today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 4-7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 20TH MARCH 2021. A FRIEND INDEED?.

MEMORISE:

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

READ: 2 Kings 4:3-4

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

MESSAGE:

I know that the widow of one of the sons of the prophet, whose story is told in today’s Bible reading, lived ma predominantly poor area. However, I also know, from their response to her request for empty vessels, that she was friendly with her neighbors. There are a few lessons you can learn from this story, as a believer.

First, you must acknowledge that you are living in the midst of opportunities. You don’t always have to relocate for you to make progress. God will open your eyes and like that widow, you too will see the opportunities available around you in Jesus’ name. You must also be friendly with people around you. Imagine what would have happened had the neighbors refused her request for containers because she had quarreled with them all. She would have had nothing with which to collect the object of her miracles. You must always be at peace with your neighbors, whether they are believers or not, without soiling your faith. Hebrews 12:14 says:

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

There are some people around you who are wealthy but do not have salvation; reach out to them and watch God do wonders. I recall a young lady who was able to win a rich man to Christ. This man became so filled with the joy of salvation that he decided to do something for this sister; he got her a brand-new car in appreciation. What God did for that sister; He can do for you too. Just like the story in Matthew 17:27, there is a river in your neighborhood that harbors a particular fish; this fish has a golden coin in its belly. All you have to do is catch the fish, open its mouth and claim the gold coin that will enrich you for life. Evangelism brings material and eternal rewards.

As you go out today, be a good neighbor to everyone around you by offering them messages of love, hope, salvation and deliverance. Show the love of Christ by evangelizing to lost souls, then wait patiently for the bountiful harvest of your labor of love. It will certainly come.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to be at peace with my neighbors, so that I can be an effective weapon for soul winning, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 1-3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

  1. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
    Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
    May we ever, Lord, be bringing
    All to Thee in earnest prayer.
    Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
    There will be no need for prayer—
    Rapture, praise, and endless worship
    Will be our sweet portion there.
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 19TH MARCH 2021:THE SOULWINNER MAYBE INSULTED.

MEMORISE:
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matthew 5:11

READ: Matthew 5:11-12

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

MESSAGE:
To win souls for Christ, you need the Holy Spirit, and you would also have to develop a thick skin. Once in a while you will be insulted and even ridiculed for the sake of the gospel you are preaching. You need to ignore their insults and continue to go after the souls. If you let the insults get to you and fire back, the unbelievers will say “And you call yourself a Christian”. If you decide to stop preaching because of the insults, you would have allowed the devil to win.

Many times, the people insulting you are even doing so on purpose. Several years ago, one of my daughters begged me to talk to her father (a former military governor) about Jesus Christ. When I visited him, he attacked me with insults. “You, look at yourself. Ph.D. in mathematics and you are going about carrying Jesus on your head. I know what you are doing. You think I don’t know your tricks? You are taking money from poor women and students so you can be rich. That is how you are using your own Mathematics. I also know about the miracles that they say are happening in your Church. We know the babalawos (witch doctors) people like you consult”. He just went on and on and I kept smiling.

When he finally got born again years later and was giving his testimony, he said ‘ If my gun had been nearby that day, I would have shot you”. I asked why he would have done that and he said “Because I was trying to make you angry and the harder I tried, the more you laughed and it was killing me”.

When you are going to preach to souls, leave all your degrees and achievements at home. When you get there, if they accept your message, great. If they insult you, pray for them and leave. Some people have names they have been tagged with in their office or school because they keep preaching the gospel. A lot of these unbelievers know that what you are saying is the truth, but they just want to make you angry.

Winning souls is warfare because the one who you are trying to snatch them from is a strong man and will not let them go easily. He will also attack you in several ways for trying to snatch souls from him. He will attack your ego to get you to stop but you must not. When you compare the rejoicing that will happen in heaven over that one soul to the insults, your ego will not matter.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, as I go out to preach Your gospel, don’t let anything discourage me, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Colossians 1-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 18TH MARCH 2021-EVANGELIZE.

MEMORISE:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19

READ: Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

MESSAGE:
The charge to win souls is not a suggestion it is a command. In other words, it is not negotiable. Every true believer must carry a burning desire and burden to reach out to the unsaved. If you love Jesus you will preach His gospel to the lost because He does not desire the death of sinners, He wants every sinner saved (Ezekiel 18:23).

“And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Matthew 19:29

From the passage above, we see that God will generously reward everyone who participates in evangelism because they are in partnership with Him. Not everybody can be a full-time evangelist, but in your little corner, you are to win souls, as well as supporting and praying for the full-time evangelists risking their lives to obey God’s mandate of preaching to the unsaved souls, visiting their families and encouraging them financially. The work of missions is dear to God’s heart and ignoring it is ignoring Him.

“At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.” Deuteronomy 24:15

God said you should not owe anyone their wages and 1Corinthians 3:8-9 says those who are involved with missions are His laborers. In other words, the moment you begin evangelizing, your name enters His payroll and believe me honestly, He will never owe you your wages. What exactly is your wage as an evangelist?

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15 :16

The wage of an evangelist is a blank cheque from the richest being in the entire universe. If I were you, I would decide today to make soul winning my lifestyle.

ACTION POINT:
Pick up your phone and call somebody to tell them about Jesus Christ now and make this a habit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 40

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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