OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29TH 2016- RESIST THE DEVIL

Memorise: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Read: James 1:12-16 (KJV)
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Bible in one year: Numbers 5-6, Psalms 139:1-16

1. The Bible presents the devil as the accuser of the brethren, but more importantly, the devil is also in the business of presenting God in a bad light to human beings at every opportunity he gets.
2. He usually puts questions in the heart of men in order to cast doubt on God’s acts of love towards humanity.
3. There is a difference between questions and queries.
4. When you ask God questions, but still demonstrate faith in Him and His ability, it is okay. But when your questions do not reflect your past experience of what you enjoyed from God’s mercies and faithfulness, you are already issuing God a query.
5. Before any child of God issues out a query to God, the fellow must have changed his view about God and how powerful He is, if not, he wouldn’t dare query God. After all, you cannot issue a powerful king a query.
6. Similarly, the one who would query God is in doubt of God’s love and good intentions.
7. He believes God is negligent, carefree and irresponsible. At such a time, he has believed the lies of the devil.
8. Beloved, God loves you much more than anything else, He is the One who gave Himself for your salvation and washed you clean in His Blood.
9. No matter the situation, His love for you will never diminish as long as you remain in His Kingdom.
10. Believe the best about Him. Believe His good intentions even when you do not understand.
11. Never query God; it will worsen your situation.

We are told in our memory verse for today- James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” For anyone to submit to God it means you believe in Him or you have Faith in Him. And this faith even in the face of raging storm and great trials keep us going and reassures us that God will never forsake His own. It is only when you give in to the lies of the devil that there is an opening for temptation. Job was tried and tempted by the devil yet he restrained himself from sinning against God by cursing Him. At the end of it all God restored Job and all he has lost in 2 folds. If there has been a time when we queried our maker, let us ask for forgiveness and Desist from such but rather believe that His faithfulness is forever more. Hallelujah!

Prayer Point
Father, please forgive me for all the queries I have issued through doubt in Jesus’ name.
HYMN ‎
1 My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device nor creed;
I trust the Ever-living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
Refrain:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
2 Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out. [Refrain]
3 My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation through His blood. [Refrain]
4 My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave. [Refrain]

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