Open heaven January 2021 day 11 to Day 31
Open heaven January 2021 Monday January 11
TOPIC: MATHEMATICS OF CHRIST IN YOU (MCY)
Memorize:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Colossians 1:27
Read
Colossians 2:6-14
The “Mathematics of Christ In You” (MCY) refers to the measure of Christ in you and how much of His attributes you exhibit in your life. The law of electricity which describes how a current flow in conductors is quite similar to it. One law that guides the flow of electricity says that the purer the conductor, the easier it is for the current to flow. In other words, the more the impurities in the conductor the more the resistance to the flow of the current. Thus, the amount of current flowing is determined by how large the resistance is. A high level of resistance is the result of a lot of impurities. In such a situation, the current cannot flow well. The Holy Spirit is the current in our spirit man. How well does He flow in you? For the Holy Spirit to flow freely, your life must be free of impurities, because the more impurities you harbor, the greater the resistance against the flow of the power of God.
In my journey with Christ, I have come up with “The Law of the Measurement of Christ in You”, where the measure of Christ in you is determined by the presence of God in your life which can be limited by your resistance to His will.
RESISTANCE = P+S+ PG+M+L+B+ F+ RA
The equation above is not exhaustive, but I will pause here because we cannot dwell too long on this topic today. In the next few days, I will be explaining the meaning of each parameter in the equation to you.
The lesson here is that if you want God to move mightily in your life, you should have zero Resistance to His will. Then, there would be no limit to how much God can dwell and operate in you. I don’t know about you, but for me, I work every day to attain zero Resistance to His will in my life because I want God to dwell and operate in me without restriction. If the Resistance can be zero in you, you too would shake the world.I Pray For you that by the end of this series, your resistance to the move of Christ in you would have become zero, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Open Heaven January 2021 Hymn 10:
I Need Thee Every Hour
Key Point:
Remove every resistance to
God’s Will if you want Christ
To dwell in you mightily.
Bible in one year:
Deuteronomy 14-16
Open heaven January 2021 Tuesday January 12
TOPIC: MCY: PRIDE
Memorize:
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:6
Read
Proverbs 16:18
Today, we will be considering the element ‘P in the “Mathematics of Christ in You”-MCY (If you do not understand, kindly refer to the devotional of January 11). The element “P in the equation for Resistance stands for Pride. Pride will resist the free flow of Christ in you. Today’s memory verse says God resists the proud but He gives grace to the humble. This means that it is only when pride disappears that the grace of Christ would begin to flow fully in you.
1 Peter 5:6 says:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
Hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Almost as soon as I got born again, I began to hear the voice of the Lord. It was a sweet experience. I was also the interpreter for the then General Superintendent, and so, out of respect for him, other pastors would not ask that l interpret for them. One day, I felt insulted when a junior Pastor asked me to interpret for him I said to myself “I am the interpreter for the big man, how can this Pastor ask me to interpret for him?” I reluctantly accepted because of the culture of discipline in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. As I finished interpreting for him and was going to my car, God asked me “So you are now too big to interpret for my servant?” From that moment, He went silent. Believe me, it is a terrible experience to stop hearing from God. It didn’t take long for the devil to exploit this gap and torment me. I wept bitterly as I prayed “Father, forgive me, I will interpret for anyone”. At last, God forgave me and I began to hear from Him again.
Many years later, after I had become the General Overseer,I travelled to the town of llesha, Nigeria. On getting there, I decided to attend the Bible Study at a nearby RCCG Parish.I wanted to just sit back and enjoy the service, but I was dragged up to the pulpit to teach. I insisted that since the fellow who was to teach had already opened his Bible, he should go ahead and l would interpret. He said he was only a deacon and was quite low in rank to the General Overseer. When the discussion was becoming drawn, I said. I command you”. Since he had no choice, he taught and I interpreted for him. As a worker, I was too proud to interpret for a Pastor, but now as General Overseer I interpreted for a deacon. The measure of Christ I have in me has increased because I have destroyed pride in my life by His grace. Do
You still harbour pride It will hinder Christ from dwelling in your life. Pride must go; it has to die!
Deal with it today and see how much Christ will begin to operate in you.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 2:
Amazing Grace! How Sweet
The Sound
Action point:
Take note of those things you do and thoughts that connote pride in your life. Start shedding them off from today.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 17-20
Open heaven January 2021 Wednesday January 13
TOPIC: MCY: SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Memorize
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5
Read
Judges 16:20-21
The ‘S’ in our equation for Resistance in the “Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) stands for Self Sufficiency (if you do not understand, kindly refer to the devotionals of January 11 and 12). Most times, what many people call self-sufficiency is purely reliance on their flesh rather than God. In Daniel 4:28-37, we see how this attitude got Nebuchadnezzar into trouble. He said “Is this not Babylon that I built?” As a result, God sent him to eat grass in the forest for seven years to prove to him that all he had was from Him. By the time he came back, he acknowledged God as the Most High who rules in the affairs of men.
Today’s Bible reading tells the story of Samson. This man had defeated an entire army with the jaw bone of an ass. He was really strong. Unfortunately, he did not realize that this strength was not from him but from God. I know this because if you look through the feats he had accomplished, you would see everything starting with “And the spirit of the Lord came upon Him” Judges 14:6, Judges 14:19, Judges
15:14). One day, after God’s Spirit had left him, he said “I will arise and go out as at other times before” judges 16:20) but he was put to shame. It does not matter how gifted or skilful you are, without God, you are no different from the sand in the beach.
Many a time, when we listen to the testimonies of some people, we still see them glorifying ‘self. They take the shine off God and put it on their efforts. In Philippians 3:3-7, Paul had been talking so much about himself until something warned him “Be careful”, and he quickly added in verse 7
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
“Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean
Not unto thine own understanding. In all thy
Ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths.
You want God to live in you and operate through you? Then, you must not lean on your own understanding. You must get to the point where you can say that it is in Him that I live, move and have my being (Acts 17:28).
We should always remember the words of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:5:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
Anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is
God;
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 14:
Jesus My Lord,
My God, My All
Key Point:
You are nothing without
God.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 21-24
Open Heavens 2021
Open Heavens devotional, by Pastor E A Adeboye, is one of the most profound daily devotional you can find anywhere. It has been tested and is trusted. You know, when people are trying to get daily devotional (or even any general religious literature), we advise that they should be very careful before making a choice. This is because, there are some books that contains stuff that is dangerous (talk about doctrines of the devil, talk about things that might make one lose his or her faith in God, etc).
Hence, it is always important to be prayerful before submitting to any vessel of God (to be sure such is of God). And this is one of the reasons we are grateful for Open Heavens devotional. It has been around for a long time now, and is a devotional that keeps giving God Glory.
Many readers have been blessed tremendously by the Open Heavens Daily Devotional. In fact, they don’t joke with it. And now that Open Heavens 2021 is available, I’m sure they are set again for an amazing and glorious ride in 2021. When grace is available, it is easily known. The Open Heavens devotional contains powerful resources that empowers people to fulfill destiny. You are strengthened to get closer to God and submit your all to JESUS. You are empowered to forsake sin and anything that defiles.
The Open Heavens Daily Devotional can help fulfill destiny and maximize potentials when readers adhered to the things they read. Remember, the Bible made us realise that it is doing the Word of God that matters and not simply reading or hearing. So, if you are a fornicator, as you read the Word of God, you should be touched to repent and start living in holiness. So is it if you are a liar, murderer, gossiper, addicted to alcohol, masturbation, pornography, etc. As you encounter the Word of God, you should decide to be a new creature and start serving God in spirit and in truth.
So, people have been interacting with the Open Heavens Daily Devotional for years now, and since their lives have never been the same since they started the journey, then it’s obvious they will do all it takes to follow Open Heavens 2021 too.
Open heaven January 2021 Thursday January 14
TOPIC: MCY: PAST GLORIES
Memorize:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
Philippians 3:13
Read
Philippians 3:11-16
We have been examining the “Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) since January 11 and the ‘PG’ in the equation for Resistance stands for Past Glories. Sometimes, people allow the beauty of the “good old days” to hinder Christ from working mightily through them today. Some are so stuck the past that they are unable to move on from there. As we see from today’s memory verse, the Lord expects us to keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter how glorious the past was, let it go! Luke 17:32 says
“Remember Lot’s wife”. It is a very brief sentence but one loaded with deep meanings. Lots wife looked back simply because she was undecided about her past. Christ cannot operate in the lives of many people today for the same reason: they keep on looking back.
Occasionally, some ‘believers’ see the advert of a beer brand and say “Hmm, thank God for salvation”. What does that mean? An urge to drink? When some believers are offended, they say “if not that I have given my life to Christ, I would have shown you that l am a tiger.” Oh, so you are having thoughts of fighting with the fellow? Are you really sure that your life has been given to Christ? If you keep looking at the past, you might end up going back.
In Luke 9:62, Jesus Christ said clearly:
No man, having put his hand to the plough,
And looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.
When you study the armor of God as listed in Ephesians 6:13-17, you will see that there is no protection for the back. This is simply because you must not look back. The moment you turn around, you have given the enemy a very clear chance to destroy you. True soldiers of Christ, those who God will dwell in and do exploits through do not look back. They forget the thing that are behind and press on for more. They spend time studying the word of God and live by it. They pray for Long hours and are committed to spreading the gospel they don’t go round boasting about what they achieve Yesterday, instead they are always talking about now much more they want to do for God.
Determine to do more for God from today.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 10:
I’m Pressing On
The Upward Way
Key Point.
Forget the past, press
Forward for more of God
Open heaven January 2021 Friday January 15
TOPIC: MCY: MEN-PLEASING
Memorize:
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his
trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Proverbs 29:25
Read:
1 Samuel 15:18-30
The element M in our equation for Resistance in the “Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) series that started on the 11th of January, stands for Men- Pleasing. Some people just want to be known by all. The problem with this however, is that you will begin to pay too much attention to what people think of you and you will be scared to offend them even when you are on the side of truth.
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:24
In the Scripture above, Saul disobeyed God because he wanted to maintain his popularity amongst men. Fame can create a major problem for you, and that is why I do not like it. You cannot live the life that you love to live; you cannot just stop by the road and buy roasted plantain when you feel like eating some. There are a lot of eyes on you. Left to me, if could do the work of God without showing my face everywhere, I would gladly do it. I thank God I am not after fame, so when people criticize me on social media because of my Bible-based beliefs, I don’t pay attention. Some preachers can’t preach the truth anymore because they want to remain popular with the congregation. The fear of man brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25). Beware!
Sometime ago, I went to minister in a Church for a three-day programme. I had preached on faith and other topics and many souls had been saved. I then told the Pastor that would like to preach a sermon on restitution on the last day. He pleaded with me not to do so, tagging it ‘hard teaching’ He also added that some of the people l had gathered would leave because of this. I told him I did not care about a big congregation headed for hell. What matters most Is preparing these people to get to Heaven. I have always told my children that I am a holiness preacher and so I will teach holiness until I die. This will never change even if people decide to leave the Church because of the ‘hard teaching’ what I am after is ensuring that you make it to Heaven. You can call me old-fashioned, I don’t care. If we get to Heaven together, you will thank me over there for teaching you holiness.
Men-pleasers seek fame at the expense of pleasing God and this ultimately leads to destruction. Don’t please people and displease God.
Put Him first always (Matthew 6:33).
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 24:
Take My Life,
And Let It Be
Prayer Point:
Ask God to take away every desire in you to be a men-
Pleaser
Open heaven January 2021 Saturday January 16
TOPIC: MCY: LUST I
Memorise:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15
Read
1 John 2:15-17
The fifth element in our equation for Resistance in “Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) series is L and it stands for Lust. For today however, we only focus on the lust of the eyes. Our Bible reading today says the world and all that is in it will pass away. When you have a strong desire for material things, Christ cannot dwell and operate mightily in you. Many people will miss Heaven because of their love for this World. Some people cut corners just because they also want to buy new car like their colleagues. Thank God for cars, but a Car can be a moving coffin if gotten through sinful means World.
I had been preaching to a friend since the 1980s. I got the opportunity to talk to him about Christ again in 2014. As soon as I started, he said “Hold on Pastor, you don’t need to worry anymore. When you were talking to me some thirty years ago, I wasn’t listening because of my ambitions, but now I have seen it all and I know it is vanity”. He also added “Whenever I want to drink alcohol or do some things I enjoy, you will say it is not allowed. Now, even if someone gives me a hundred million dollars, it will have no value before me. l am ready to give my life to Christ so my life can have real value. I didn’t have to preach Anymore to win that soul for Christ.
If you keep lusting after the material things of this world, you will soon discover that they are not worth the stress. The only thing worth having is the joy of knowing that you are serving the Lord. The fact that you are a Christian however, doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy life. Rather, it means you will enjoy life to the fullest, only that you have to prioritize spiritual things.
3 John 2 says:
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy
Soul prospereth. God wants you to prosper, but it must be even as your soul prospers.
Any prosperity that will cost your soul will destroy you (Matthew 16:26). You must first seek the
Kingdom of God and live a righteous life, then you will never lack any good thing (Matthew 6:33). This has been my experience with Christ. I focus on pleasing Him every day, and He supplies all my needs. I remove every hindrance to me accessing all round prosperity.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 7:
Have You Been
To Jesus
Key Point:
Focus on the prosperity of your soul, leave the rest to
Jesus to handle.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 31-33
Open heaven January 2021 Sunday January 17
TOPIC: MCY: LUST II
Memorize:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that Committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1 Corinthians 6:18
Read:
Judges 16:4-20
A hungry and thirsty fellow is one who is desperate for food and water. Have you ever seen someone who has been stranded on a desert for a whole month? If he sees water anywhere, he would do anything, and I mean anything to drink it. The same applies to a person who has been deprived of food for many days. In the same vein, God expects us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. He expects us to desperately pursue righteousness. Jesus gave a parable in Matthew 13:44-46 that the kingdom of God is like a man who found treasure in a field and went to sell all that he had so he could buy that field and own the treasure. Psalm 63:1 says:
..My soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns
For you, in a dry and weary land where
There is no water:”
You should be willing to give up anything Just to remain righteous. The reverse is the case these days; people are very quick to sacrifice their righteousness in order to gain some pleasures of this world.
Don’t deceive yourself with contemporary Christianity. If you are not desperately hungry to live a holy life, you become easy meat for the devil. You need to be desperate enough to cut off your right hand if that hand is going to cause you to sin (Matthew 5:30). In other words, if social media is the means through which immoral thoughts get into your mind, then you must be ready to delete those social media apps from your phone. If you are lusting after your secretary, then you must be ready to let go of such a person. If being a staff in that organisation causes you to stain your garment of holiness, then resign! Only the violent can take the kingdom of God and they must take it by force. Don’t be afraid to be asked why you pursue this Jesus so much. Fear of what people may say will make many lose their righteousness and consequently, the kingdom of God.
You must hunger and thirst for righteousness at all times.
Open heaven January 2021 hymn 29
What Can Wash
Away My Stain?
Key Point:
Flee every appearance of
The lust of the flesh!
Bible in one year:
Genesis 34-36
Open heaven January 2021 Monday January 18
TOPIC: MCY: BITTERNESS
Memorize:
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Matthew 6:14
Read:
Mark 11:23-26
We have been treating the “Mathematics Christ in You” (MCY) since January 11.The ‘B’ in our equation For Resistance stands or bitterness. If you refuse to forgive those who have offended you, you are only multiplying your suffering because the fellow who offended you is going on his or her life yet you are suffering spiritually. it is like stopping to rant at someone who sped past your car at a traffic light. You are only delaying yourself further. I quickly forgive those who offend me because I don’t want to get myself into trouble. I cannot allow bitterness to disconnect me from God.
Hebrews 12:15 says:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the
Grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
Springing up trouble you, and thereby many
Be defiled;
Unforgiveness can defile you and lead to some very serious sicknesses too. There was a man who was bloating. The doctors could not find anything wrong, so he came to the Church. God revealed that the man had some restitution to make. We eventually found that this man chose not to forgive his son-in-law. When he was going to give out his daughter in marriage, he made the young man promise to take good care of her. Unfortunately, the boy started beating the wife. Her father pleaded with him but things only got worse. One day, the husband fired a gun at his wife but missed narrowly. That was when the man asked his daughter to leave finally; however he swore to never forgive the boy and to deal with him. The man was told that he had to forgive, and in fact, according to Matthew 18:15, he had to be the one to go to the son-in-law. The man went because he wanted to be healed. As he reached his son-in-law’s house, the young man tried to escape. The man however said I have not come to fight; I have come to beg you. I have forgiven you and I want you to do the same”. As they hugged and wept, the man who had been suddenly reduced in size to such an extent that wedding ring dropped from his finger to the ground was healed!
Forgive, so you can be free.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 28
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Action point
Stop punishing yourself; forgive everyone who has
offended you.
Bible in one year:
Deuteronomy 17-20
Open heaven January 2021 Tuesday January 19
TOPIC: MCY: FAMILY TIES
Memorize:
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26
Read
Matthew 10:35-38
. We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29
The F in our equation for Resistance in the “Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) series that we started on January 11, stands for Family Ties. As difficult as it sounds, if Christ is going to operate freely in you, some family ties would have to suffer, as we see in today’s memory verse. What Jesus was saying is that your love for Him, relative to what you feel for your family, should be incomparable. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son who he loved, Abraham wasted no time in trying to do so. Of course, God only wanted to find out what Abraham’s choice would be if he had to choose between Him and his son.
I once had a similar experience. As the youngest and only male child of my mother, I had a close relationship with her. Before I met Christ, I would always spend Christmas with her.
However, after joining the Redeemed Christian Church of God and becoming a Pastor, I had to spend my Christmas instead at the Christ The Redeemer’s Congress. One particular year, we were going to have the programme at ljebu lgbo, Nigeria. Since I would not be around during Christmas, I decided to visit my mother on December 23rd to tell her l would see her after the programme. On getting there, I found that she was dying. I was in a dilemma; the programme had to start in two days.I was one of the organizers yet no one in the Church knew where I had gone, and there were no mobile phones in those days. It was a difficult choice, but I said to my mother “You know I love you and would love to stay by your side, but I have to go because Jesus is calling. Thank God for good mothers, she made it easy for me. She said “My son, I understand. I can already see your involvement with Jesus Christ”. She then prayed for me. I thought it was going to be our last conversation; it turned out to be a test by God because she lived for another eleven years. From the report I received, even before I got to ljebu Igbo, she had recovered. God wanted to find out who I would choose if I had to make a decision between Him and my mother who l loved so much.
Nothing, not even family ties should come between you and God.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 12
In Christ Alone
Key Point:
God must come first in every aspect of your life. Nothing not even family ties should
Be placed before Him.
Bible in one year
Deuteronomy 21-23
Open heaven January 2021 Wednesday January 20
TOPIC: MCY: REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY
Memorize:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher power for there is no power But of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Romans 13:1
Read
Romans 13:1-3
RA in equation for Resistance
“Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) series which started on January 11, stands for Rebellion against Authority. Some Christians” feel they are too big to God’s work because they are educated. Some refuse to obey their Father-in–Lord and still expect to get best from him. Listen, nothing can flow from him until you submit to his authority.
There is difference between submission and cooperation. You cooperate when the instruction is convenient, but submit whether it is convenient or not. Some believers resist the authority of the government, their supervisors or spouses. Christ cannot dwell in rebellious souls Rebellion is as witchcraft. 1 Samuel 15:23 says
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…
It is better not to make any sacrifices to God than to do so in disobedience. You should not pay your tithe and refuse to pay your tax. For example, when you knowingly break traffic laws because you want to get to Church early, God will not accept that kind of sacrifice. No matter how big you are, you have a leader. If you are the General Overseer of your Church, the President of the association of Christian leaders to which you belong is your leader. If you are the president of the Christian Association in your country, there is a president of the land who 1 Peter 2:17 says you must honour. If you are the president of your country, there is a union of Presidents in your continent and that union has a leader you are expected to obey. On the other hand, a President can have a Father-in-the-Lord he is to Submit to, just like the King of Israel who called Elisha
“My father” in 2 Kings 6:21-23. The Father-in-the-Lord Too could have leaders he must continue to honour, no matter how great he has become. If you look very closely, you would see that there is an authority figure you are to submit to even if you are a ‘big man in your own right. If you rebel against those God has put in authority over you, then Christ cannot dwell and operate in you as He would want to.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 1
All Hail the Power
Of Jesus Name.
Prayer point:
Pray that everything that can limit the measure of Christ in you should become zero. Later in the year, we will dedicate a whole day to pray for the full measure of Christ.
Bible in one year
Deuteronomy 24-27
Open heaven January 2021 Thursday January 21
TOPIC: TAKING TERRITORIES
Memorize:
Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and
Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
Deuteronomy 11:24
Read:
Deuteronomy 11:21-10
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia
Withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo,
Michael, one of the chief princes, came to
Help me…
Daniel 10:13
In the kingdom of darkness, territories are allocated to princes-also called principalities. Regardless of this, God commands us to dominate the earth (Genesis 1:28). Thus, as Christians, we are to take charge of any territory we find ourselves in. It is sad however, that many live in bondage and fear of the devil within their territories. This should not be.
Some have not been succeeding since they moved into a new environment. Don’t be ignorant of the devices of the devil. Once a demon sees that you are ignorant, it will exploit that loophole and launch continuous attacks.
One of my sons who moved to a new apartment was once confronted by wizard after his usual praise and prayers. The wizard threatened to kill him. My son ran to me and I followed him to his house. I asked for the direction of the wizard’s house and he pointed it to me. I stretched my hand towards that direction and decreed a quit notice on the wizard in the name of Jesus. When I turned to leave, my son asked “Daddy, is that all?” I said “Yes, I have done what I came to do”. Within seven days, a huge tree in the wizard’s compound dried up and seven days after that, the wizard died.
Ephesians 1:21 says you are seated at the right hand of Christ far above principalities and powers. If you do not exercise your power in Christ, the devil will make you tremble at his presence. You don’t beg the devil, you issue decrees. I must warn you however about what happened to the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13-16. If you are not standing strong in Christ and decide to face demons saying “As Adeboye taught us in the Open Heavens Devotional, I decree your quit notice in the name of Jesus”, the demon will say “Jesus I know, Adeboye I know, who you are?” God forbid that the devil uses you for food. Therefore, make sure that there is no sin in your life; ensure that you are a fervent Christian, filled with the Holy Ghost before you face any demon. You will be victorious, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 23
Standing On the Promises of
Christ My King
Key Point:
Don’t be ignorant of the devices of the devil in your
Neighborhood.
Bible in one year
Deuteronomy 28
Open heaven January 2021 Friday January 22
TOPIC: RESTITUTION
Memorize:
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord:
Behold, Lord, the halt of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him four folds.
Luke 19:8
Read:
Leviticus 6:1-5
Restitution means making right something you have done wrong. If you have stolen something, you should return it now that you are saved. Restitution is proof that you feel sorry for the sins committed in the past and wish you had not committed them in the first place.
I recall sometime ago when I was still a school teacher. I needed some extra mattress for a visitor so I took one from the school dormitory. After the visitor left I retained it and also took it along when I was leaving the school. About seven years later I gave my life to Christ and my conscience began to prick me. So I decided to Restitute, Since I had been using for seven years, I knew it wouldn’t be right to just return I paid back double the value of the mattress to the school Nobody told me to do that, I did it because I realized what i did was wrong and I wanted to put things right. Should however seek Christian counselling if you are not sure on how to go about sure of how to go about restitution.
Don’t mind any Pastor who tells you that there is no need for restitution. If you are genuinely born again, the Holy Spirit will not allow you rest until you have returned whatever it is you took wrongfully. Now, if you are trying to restitute for what happened a very long time ago, you must be just. For example, if you stole N17 when it had huge value, it would be wrong to return N17 today. Find out the equivalent of that amount in today’s market, or how much interest it would have accrued now if the owner had put it in the bank, then return the sum. Restitution is not a religious act; it is borne out of regret for the past and a willingness to correct it.
If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
Exodus 22:7
When someone puts something in your care and it goes missing you should restitute, unless the Owner says otherwise.
If you borrow someone’s car and it got damaged in your custody, it is your responsibility to repair it. If you cannot afford the repair at that time, don’t act like nothing; report the matter to the owner of the car, apologize and humbly ask him to help you repair it, promising you will repay once you can afford it. If the owner says you should not bother, then you are free.
Like Zacchaeus in today’s memory verse, we must understand and abide by the principle of restitution.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 11
I Need Thee
Every Hour
Reflection
Is there anything the Holy Spirit keeps reminding you to restitute? Go ahead and do it
Immediately!
Bible in one year:
Deuteronomy 29-31
Open heaven January 2021 Saturday January 23
TOPIC: DON’T GIVE UP
Memorize:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11
Read
Psalm 126:1-6
You may have tried many things, and none seems to be succeeding I want to encourage you not to give up. Don’t forget your dreams. Don’t forget the prophecies that have come forth concerning your glorious destiny. God has special purpose for your life. It may not look Iike it now, but it you don’t give up, you will soon see it coming to pass in your life, in Jesus name I had an uncle who was very poor, so poor that he could not afford decent clothing. One day, he asked his wife to use her wrapper to sew buba and soro for him. He had made up his mind to commit suicide, but he wanted to do it in style. He wore the clothes his wife had made for him and went to Church. He sang and danced so well that everyone noticed him. He wanted it to be that when they heard of his death, they would say “Oh, we didn’t know he was celebrating his departure”. However, God had other plans. The man of God came up and preached about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He said despite the fact that it looked like there was no hope for these three Hebrew children, God’s glory shone through their hopeless situation.
The message hit my uncle and he said “I don’t know how God will bring me out of this storm, but I refuse to die” On saying that, the Prince of Peace spoke peace to his storm.
The day he was sharing the testimony, he had just purchased fourteen cars for his company. Imagine if he had given up; he would have missed out on what God had in store for him. God knows the way out of that situation you are going through. Hold on to Him and He will bring you out.
He says to you in Isaiah 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will
Be with thee; and through the rivers, they
Shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest
Through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;
Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Speak peace into whatever storm you are going through. I replace every source of shame in your life with Glory now. Whatever the devil is using to steal your joy Is turned around for your favour. No more depression in your life in the mighty name of Jesus. Raise your head up high, God loves you and He will make all things beautiful in His time.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 18
Pass Me Not,
O Gentle Saviour
Key Point:
Don’t give up; God is going to bring glory out of that
Hopeless situation. Hold on to Him.
Open heaven January 2021 Sunday January 24
TOPIC: RAPTURE: ARE YOU READY?
Memorize:
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked,
And they see his shame.
Revelation 16:15
Read:
Matthew 24:36-44
As Christians, we should be excited that one day we will leave this sinful world for heaven- a place where there is no sorrow or sickness, where there is no need to work, where the only thing we will be doing is worshipping God.
Heaven is a place of all round enjoyment. Everyone i know who has had a revelation of heaven did not want to come back to earth because it is just too beautiful and perfect. Now, let me ask you are you prepared for rapture? if the trumpet were to sound now, would you be on way to Heaven or would you remain here on earth? Examine your life very well: the thoughts of your heart the words of your mouth, the things you do with your hands-are the things that will make you qualified for Heaven or will they hold you back if the Rapture takes place today? lf you have not been living holy you lucky that rapture has not occurred because if it had, you would either be in hell by now or left here on earth to face the Anti-Christ. If I were you, I would take the opportunity to repent now and begin to live holy.
The Rapture is not something that you should toy with; it is a matter of eternity an era without an end. Nothing should be too precious for you to leave so you can make it to Heaven.
Jesus said in Mark 8:36:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain?
The whole world, and lose his own soul?
If your hands will make you lose Heaven, it is better you cut them off than go to hell with two hands. Imagine that you manage to squeeze through the gate of Heaven but it closes on one of your hands. You would have two options: either to cut off the hand and go in or to go back out with two good hands. Which would you take? I am sure you would prefer to enter Heaven without that hand. In the same way, you should prefer to sacrifice the pleasure of spending stolen money; you should be able to discipline yourself from engaging in fornication or adultery and stop telling lies so that you can make Heaven. Nobody knows when the Rapture will take place or when they would die. Even If the trumpet does not sound today, are you sure you will be alive tomorrow? Remember, it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this is the judgment (Hebrew 27).
Open heaven January 2021 hymn 24
Take My Life,
And Let It Be
Key point:
Nothing should be too
difficult for you to drop so as to make Heaven.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 37-39
Open heaven January 2021 Monday January 25
TOPIC: LIKE A CHILD I
Memorize:
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8
Read:
Matthew 18:1-7
In today’s Bible reading. Jesus’ disciples were asking Him “Who will be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? He answered by putting a little child in front of them. He went on to say that anyone who wants to enter the kingdom of Heaven at all has to be like a little child.
Matthew 18:3 says:
And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be
Converted, and become as little children, ye
Shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
What makes children good models? First, children do not understand bitterness; they do not keep malice. If you offend a little boy and he says he will not play with you anymore, five minutes later, you would most likely see him running all over you again. The heart of a little child is full of love and that’s exactly what God expects of His children.
Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-39:
…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
Mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
If you want to enter Heaven at all, you have to love like a little child. Little children love irrespective of status, they do not care whether you are a pauper or the President; they play with everyone the same way. They do not keep records of wrongdoings; if you wrong a child now, few minutes later, he or she would have forgotten about the matter.
Do you love like a child? Do you show love to even those who offends you? Do you discriminate against the cleaner in your office just because the fellow is junior to you? How do you speak to your house help? All these things will show if you are like a child or not. They will determine whether you will enter the kingdom of Heaven or not. As for me, even if you step on my toes from now until tomorrow, I will not allow you to send me to hell so I will continue to show you love. We may not be friends because Jesus didn’t say we should be friends with everybody, but will still love you. I will forgive you even before you offend me. I will not wish you evil or withhold benefits from you just because you offended me.
If you want to make Heaven, love like a child.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 20
Praise To The
Lord The Almighty
Prayer point:
Father, please help me to
Love and forgive like a child.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 40-42
Open heaven January 2021 Tuesday January 26
TOPIC: LIKE A CHILD II
Memorize:
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
That he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
Read:
Deuteronomy 28:3-13
If a father tells his son that he would buy him a toy, the little boy would go around telling his peers that he has a toy, despite the fact that he is yet to receive it. I recall telling a child that I would buy him a new pair of shoes. He went around telling everyone one that he will receive a new pair of shoes and while boasting one of his friends, one of his friends also said his father also promised him new shoes as well. The latter was laughed at because everyone knew his father could not afford to buy him new shoes. The boy however was so Sure that he because his father had told him so. That was a boy whose father was known to be a pauper. How much more you? Everyone knows you serve the King of kings; it is clearly written in Luke 1:37 that with God nothing shall be Impossible.
Yet you doubt His word that says you shall be the head and no weapon fashioned against you can prosper. You doubt Exodus 23:26 which say that none shall be barren. You should be excited when you read these great promises that your Father has made to you. Would you be happy if your son shows doubt by looking for alternatives, after you have promised to provide for his needs? No. That is why Hebrews 11:6 says:
But without faith it is impossible to please
Him: for he that cometh to God must believe
That he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
That diligently seeks him.
Stop looking for substitutes for what God has promised you. If God has said it, He will do it. All you have to do is believe. Many a time, we miss our miracles because we don’t have faith in His word. While scientists will say “Prove it and I will believe you”, God says “Believe me, and I will prove it to you”. Believe Him. Stand on His word, boast about His promises. Live in the fulfillment of the promise and He will hasten to bring it to pass. If God made Sarah conceive at the age of ninety, He can still give you a child. No matter how hopeless the doctors Say your case is, He will heal you. If He fed an entire nation with manna in the wilderness, He can provide for all you needs. If He parted the Red Sea so His children could pass through and then drowned their enemies in the same sea, He will take you out of difficult situations, deal with your pursuers and level all your mountains.
Nothing is too hard for Him to do! Just believe.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 25
Standing On The Promises Of Christ
My King
Action point:
Read today’s Bible text Deuteronomy 28:3-13 with
excitement, knowing that the promises of God to you in that
passage will surely come to pass.
Bible in one year
Genesis 43-45
Open heaven January 2021 Wednesday January 27
TOPIC: LIKE A CHILD III
Memorize:
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought
toward me.
Daniel 4:2
Read.
Matthew 10:32-33
Children are testifiers. If you give a child a gift, he or she would tell everyone about it. Children also boast a lot about their parents and the benefits they get from them. You have just got a car, it is most likely that your child will want you to take him or her to school in it so as to show off to their friends. If you give a child a gift, if possible, he or she will tell the whole world about it.
Do you tell everyone what God has done for you or are you ashamed to talk about Him in public? Do you share testimonies of His wondrous works that will make others want to serve your God? I tell stories because l cannot help but brag about the things my God has done. These testimonies have encouraged people; some say “If God can do this, then I will serve Him too”.
There was a couple who fought every night, so much so that they became a subject of mockery to their neighbours. This went on until someone invited them to The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Both of them gave their lives to Christ and the fighting stopped. That night, their neighbours did not sleep because they were waiting for them to fight as usual; however they were disappointed. The neighbours watched for some more days until one of them summoned the courage to ask the couple why they had not been fighting. They told him that they had met Jesus at a Church; the neighbour said “Really? I must follow you to that Church. Before long they introduced all their neighbours to Christ. Your testimony is powerful enough to win souls for Christ. The people of the world brag about their witchdoctors, saying things like “There is no problem this Baba cannot solve, he solved this and that problem” and they end up winning their friends over.
Your God is greater than any witchdoctor; indeed, He created all things, including the Witchdoctors. In Jeremiah 32:27, He says:
am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there
anything too hard for me?
Why then can’t you brag about Him too and use your testimonies to win souls for Him? Why not tell someone going through a difficult time that your God can solve that problem Don’t keep quiet about the things God has done for you; use them to win souls to His kingdom.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 17
Oh What A Wonderful
Wonderful Day
Action Point
Make sure you share a testimony of something
God did for you recently with an unbeliever today.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 46-48
Open heaven January 2021 Thursday January 28
TOPIC: FAITH AND PATIENCE
Memorize:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not Seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Read:
Hebrews 11:1-11
The more we trust a person, the more patient we become them towards them. If they promise to come as soon as possible, we will wait for them even more patiently because we know they mean what they say.
Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the word of God.
Thus if we would be steadfast in faith, we must constantly fellowship with God’s word so that we know Him for who He is.
Faith without patience produces people who start off well but cannot finish strong. Patience without faith produces people who constantly suffer but have no power to change their situation. when Satan whispers to you that God’s word is not working faith says “It is a lie” and strengthens your resolve to wait. Faith has no fear; it knows that God’s word has never failed, so it builds patience in you to wait for the word to come to pass. Faith strengthens patience. James 1:3 says:
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith
worketh patience.
Faith and patience, working together, defend and protect your soul. This is why sometimes, God tries your faith so as to build your patience. He knows that just like Job, if both your faith and patience are strong, no matter what the devil brings your way, you will not fall. You need both faith and patience to win the heavenly race, because it is a marathon and not just a sprint. I got born again over forty-five years ago and it was as if Jesus was coming that same year. Some of those who started the race with me
Have backslidden now. They had faith, but not patience when I started seeing some of these people backsliding I was worried for my own faith, thus I cried to God help me so that I would finish strong. One day, watching the making of a movie in which the lead actor told the director that he was not sure he would Win the horse race that was to be a part of the movie. The director responded “You just keep riding “I will make Sure you win”. God spoke to me through that: He finish said you just remain in the race, I will make sure you finish strong”. Jude 1:24 says He is the only One who can keep you to the end. I believe God and His word, and that is why today, l am still standing.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 8
Oh, My Comarades!
See The signal
Prayer point
Father, please keep me until the end don’t let me
fall by the way in the course of my race to Heaven.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 49-50
Open heaven January 2021 Friday January 29
TOPIC: QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT
Memorize:
Quench not the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Read:
Galatians 5:16-26
What are the things that the flesh usually tells you to do? They are listed in Galatians 5:19-21 as you must have earlier read in today’s Bible text. You think that you can view a few pictures or videos on social media where someone is almost nude and it is okay. You are quenching the Spirit. That little window you give to indulge the flesh will strengthen it such that you would find yourself going back to those pictures/videos after that time. The Bible is very clear- don’t ever do anything that will quench the Spirit. Never!
Do you know that there are some things that are not sins, but can strengthen the flesh to the point of eventually quenching the Spirit? Examples include not fasting (Psalm 35:13), not being able to abstain from sex even with your legally wedded spouse (1Corinthians 7:5), not praying (Ephesians 6:18), not studying your Bible (Psalm 119:9-11) and not fellowshipping with the brethren (Hebrews 10:25). From Galatians 5:16, we see that it is necessary to always walk in the Spirit so that you will not fulfill the works of the flesh. If you take a break from spiritual exercises, you will eventually fulfill the works of the flesh; there is no holiday in the spirit realm.
Can two walk together, except they be
agreed?
Amos 3:3
Stay Far away from sin because I know that God is the only One who can help me to fulfill my destiny and He hates sin. If I offend Him and He turns His back on me, I am finished! Joseph knew this, so he did not indulge his flesh at all and he fulfilled God’s plan for his life. My beloved, I am appealing to you from my heart today, walk in the Spirit every day and you will attain God’s plan for your life.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 10
I’m Pressing On
The Upward Way
Action Point:
What are those things you do that quench the Spirit of God in you? List them and
cut yourself off from them today.
Bible in one year:
Galatians 1-3
Open heaven January 2021 Saturday January 30
TOPIC: DO GOOD
Memorize:
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap
if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9
Read
Romans 2:6-10
Good people are wise people. They understand that being good to others will endear them to God. So they keep doing good. Also, they know that, according to Proverbs,when you show mercy to others you are being good to yourself, and when you are cruel to men, you are also being Cruel to yourself. it is very Simple: you cannot deceive God, whatever you sow is what you will reap (Galatians 6:7).
Our God is a good God. He is good even to people who do evil (Matthew 5:45), so if you want to be good, learn from Him. David said in Psalm 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
One of the ways through which God helps us to do good is by anointing us. Jesus in Acts 10:38 began to do good things because of this anointing: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. The moment you are empowered to do something good for someone and you do not do it, you are asking for the wrath of God to come upon you because it is a waste to His anointing.
Proverbs 3:27 says
“Withhold not good
From them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of
thine hand to do it.”
This is why whenever I see someone who needs prayers and my protocol officers are blocking the person from reaching me, I intervene and ask them to bring the fellow don’t want to annoy my Daddy by withholding what Know He has given me for the benefit of others. Do know that on the last day, we will be judged also based on how good we have been to others (Matthew 25:31-40
John 1:11 says:
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but
That which is good. He that doeth good is of
God: but he that doeth evil hath not see
God.
In other words, if you are truly a child of God as you claim, you must always do good.
Have you been doing good?
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 16
O God Our Help
In Ages Past
Prayer point:
Father, help me to always do
good unto all men, in mighty name of Jesus.
Bible in one year
Galatians 4-6
Open heaven January 2021 Sunday January 31
TOPIC: DIVINE MERCY
Memorize:
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but
of God that sheweth mercy.
Romans 9:16
Read:
Psalm 136
The mercy of God is a deep expression of His love to mankind; it is so much that the natural mind cannot make sense of it (Ephesians 2:4). A person can labour all his life and make no headway, but when God shows mercy, such a fellow would move from grass to grace in no time at all. Joseph was a slave, laboring for his master for years and then found himself wrongfully imprisoned. One day however, God arranged for the king to summon him and within minutes, he became the second most powerful man in
Egypt. If someone had told Joseph that morning that he would be the Prime Minister before nightfall, he would have called the person a joker. Who knew him, and by the way, who would make a prisoner Prime Minister?
That is however what the mercy of God can do. It does not matter how low you are right now, the mercy of God will lift you higher than your dreams in Jesus’ name.
If there is only one fellow I know who has enjoyed the mercy of God, it is I. I am a little boy from a village that was not on the map until not very long ago. In that village, my family was one of the poorest and least recognized, yet God showed me mercy. Today, by the grace of God, the name Adeboye is known in several countries of the world. If you also want to become great, you need His mercy. You get this mercy by simply asking for it as we see in Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.
Exodus 25:17 gives us a hint of the position we should take when seeking His mercy. You will notice that in the dimensions therein, there is no height; just length and breadth. This mercy seat is one that you go flat on, in humility. It is when you have completely laid yourself bare before God that you can enjoy His mercy. When you say “Go ahead and use me for whatever you want, Lord”, then you are ready. In all that Joseph went through, not once did he complain or contemplate rejecting God. If you still give God terms and conditions, then you are not yet ready for His divine mercy.
Open heaven January 2021 Hymn 28
What A Friend
We Have In Jesus
Prayer point:
Lord, I surrender my will completely to you from
today; please show me mercy.
Bible in one year:
Leviticus 1-3