OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALS, BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE , 24/07/2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY JULY 24TH 2017

THEME: LIVING IN FEAR? 

Memorise:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

Read: 1 John 4:17-18

4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Message:

If you have God as your Refuge, you have a priceless treasure because this gives you access to help in times of trouble. With God as your Refuge, irrespective of what is happening around you, you have no cause to panic. As unlikely as this may sound, it is possible to be under God’s cover and be unaffected by every satanic missile flying around both day and night (Psalm 91:5-6). Due to negative influences from their environment, some people have grown up with a particular phobia for the last quarter of the year. Between January and August, they go about their normal business activities with boldness, but as the month of September approaches, fear envelopes their hearts. As they read or hear of various accidents happening here and there, their fear is heightened. Some people allow this condition to degenerate to the extent that fear redefines all their remaining activities of the year. They may have to cancel all their air travel for fear of air crash. Even their road trips would be seriously reduced for fear of road accidents. They try as much as possible to confine themselves to their houses and will therefore give all kinds of excuses for not accepting any assignment or invitation during that period. Such people are being manipulated by fear!

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

If you live in fear, you are in Satan’s bondage (Hebrew 2:15). Your love for God and fellow brethren cannot be perfected if you still create room for fear. When you live in fear, you give the devil so much attention, thereby empowering him over your life and destiny. Whatever or whoever you fear controls you. Luke 1:74 says we were saved to serve God without fear. So if you say you are born again but you still live in fear, you need to know who you are serving, because you should not live in fear of anything while serving God. You cannot have the fear of God in your heart and the fear of the devil at the same time. The moment you begin to fear the devil or is agents, you drift into bondage. If you are sure of your salvation but still live in fear, check yourself; it is likely you are ignorant of who you are in Christ. Also, as a child of God, when you engage in disobedience or harbour a secret sin in your heart, you lose your confidence and fear sets in. If this is your case, repent of your sin and fully turn to God!

Action Point:

If your heart is always filled with fear, invest time to study who you are in Christ from the book of Ephesians.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 23-24
Ezekiel 14:12-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: (Monday, July 24, 2017) - LIVING IN FEAR? 

1.Thank you, Father, for being my refuge and a very present help in times of trouble.

2.Thank you, Father, for not giving me the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.

3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, replace every spirit of fear in my life, with the spirit of boldness, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, let your cover of protection over my life and family, never be removed, even, for a second, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, let every evil arrow targeted against me, or any of my family member, go back to sender, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, let every fear created in me by life's challenges and negative occurrences, be neutralised, by the blood of Jesus.

8.Father, set me free indeed, from the bondage, control, dominion and manipulations, of the spirit of fear, that is almost paralysing, my doing exploits for you, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, release upon my life, the spirit of perfect love, that drives away all forms of fear, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, let your fear dominate my heart and let the fear of Satan and his agents be shut out, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, forgive me all my sins and restore my confidence and faith in you, in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

#GodBlessOurNation

2 Samuel: 23. 1. Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2. The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 6. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 7. But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place. 8. These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. 9. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10. He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13. And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14. And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16. And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19. Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21. And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23. He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24. Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25. Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26. Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27. Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28. Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29. Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30. Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31. Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33. Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34. Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35. Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36. Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37. Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38. Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39. Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all. - 

2 Samuel: 24. 1. And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3. And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? 4. Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5. And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6. Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, 7. And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hibites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba. 8. So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9. And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10. And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 11. For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12. Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 13. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. 14. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15. So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. 16. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17. And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. 18. And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19. And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20. And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21. And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. 23. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. 24. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25. And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Isreal..


Ezekiel: 14. 12. The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13. Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: 14. Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15. If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16. Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 17. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: 18. Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 19. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 20. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. 21. For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? 22. Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. 23. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD. -