OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22ND 2023
THEME: RESIST THE DEVIL
MEMORISE: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
READ: Acts 14:6 -12
6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
7 And there they preached the gospel.
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
MESSAGE
In John 14:12, Jesus Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”.
In Markm4:35-41, when a storm arose on the sea while Jesus was sleeping in the boat, the first thing He did was to rebuke the wind. The passage above therefore means that you will do even greater rebuking of storms.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, it He is also the Lion of Judah. It is true that you should be as gentle as a dove, but not when dealing with a snake. He was gentle, but when He got into the temple and saw what should not be there, He overturned tables and drove out the traders. That certainly wasn’t gentle! You also are the temple of the Most High God. When you see someone trying to hinder you from fulfilling your purpose, you must not handle them gently; you must rebuke them.
Isaiah 54:17 says it is your heritage for any tongue raised against you to be condemned. In other words, it is your heritage to rebuke anything trying to hinder your destiny. You cannot be gentle with them; you must rebuke them so that they don’t destroy you.
Many years ago, a son of mine was living where a witch doctor also lived. The man often complained that my son’s prayers were disturbing him so, I told him to cast the witch doctor out, but he said, “No Daddy, we are both tenants in the same building; we can live with each other”. I said, “Okay”. The next time I saw my son, he looked very unhealthy. He said the witch doctor got some of his customers, who were police officers, to arrest him because his prayers were disturbing him. The police locked him up for days, and the mosquitoes in the cell dealt with him. I then asked him, “Are you now ready to send that wicked fellow out?” He agreed; we prayed and the man moved out of the house.
Will you let the devil hinder your destiny?
PRAYER POINT
Father, paralyse every agent of darkness that tries to hinder me from fulfilling my purpose now, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD
1. Standing on the promises of Christ our King,
Thro’ eternal ages let His praises ring:
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Chorus
Standing, Standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour
Standing, Standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2. Standing on the promises that can-not fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail
By the living word of Go I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
