OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY, APRIL 7TH 2017-THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY

Memorise: Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21
Read: 1st Samuel 1:9-11
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 14, Jeremiah 8:18-9:11

1. Most good things in life come at a cost.
2. Many Children of God may find it hard to accept this truth, but doesn’t change its reality.
3. The reason why some children of God may not want to accept this reality of life is that our salvation is freely given to us. They would reason that since the precious salvation of our souls is free, other precious things of the kingdom should also be without a cost. They forget that although salvation is free for us, it came at the expense of the precious Blood of Jesus, shed through His gruesome death on the cross.
4. The fact that it is given to us for free does not mean it was freely acquired by the Giver.
5. Just as a child should not think the bread he is eating freely from his father’s table is actually free – as the father would have laboured for the money with which the bread was purchased – believers also should not think that it cost the Father nothing to give His only begotten Son for the redemption of our souls.
6. When Jesus Christ was healing the sick and delivering those that were oppressed by demons during earthly ministry, the disciples wanted to perform the same feat. They were however disappointed when they discovered that they could not do what the Master was doing. They therefore asked Him why they could not cast a demon out (Matthew 17:19). Here is the Master’s response to them in Matthew 17:20-21: “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”
7. From this response, we understand that you cannot be eating three square meals with snacks in between and expect demons to obey your every command.
8. Years ago, my children in Britain asked me to begin conducting a monthly Festival of Life Service in the U.K. I declined, the reason being that I could not minister at a Festival of Life Service without making adequate spiritual preparations.
9. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, knew that God needed a priest to replace Eli, and so she promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give the boy back to Him. God immediately granted her request because she was ready to pay a price for what she wanted.
10. Beloved, what is the motive behind your request? If it is to glorify God, be sure you will have it today.

How true? So true! There is a price to pay! For everyone who wants to make a difference and impart lives such must be ready to pray and fast. Even our Lord Jesus whose conception, birth, growth and being was miraculous fasted and prayed on several occasions. The fact that He is supernatural did not hold Him back from these spiritual exercise. Miracles don’t just happen. Healing don’t just take place. Words of knowledge and wisdom don’t just flow and get manifested. Spiritual seed and exercise precedes such occurrences. Genuine ministers and children of God who pulls God’s presence to wrought wonders engage in serious fasting and prayer always. God will give us the grace to subdue our body and its desire so as to engage in spiritual exercise that will cause a change in our lives and world in Jesus name. Thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye. He is a blessing to our generation.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me the grace to constantly mortify the deeds of the blood through fasting and prayer, so that Your Spirit may operate freely without hindrance in my life.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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