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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