24 September 2016 Open Heaven:- The Power of Knowledge

THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE – Saturday September 24^th 2016

Memorise: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6

Read: Proverbs 1:20-29, (KJV)

²⁰ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

²¹ She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

²² How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

²³ Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

²⁴ Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

²⁵ But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

²⁷ When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

²⁸ Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

²⁹ For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 10-12, Psalms 67:1-68:6

MESSAGE

Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles accumulated in the course of time from study or investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. Open Heavens 24 September 2016:- The Power of Knowledge

In reference to the knowledge of the Word of God Hosea 4:6 says:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

As I have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making and therefore ultimately determines the course of life. It is the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions about the subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. 24 September 2016 open heavens

Do you know that if you know more about God and His Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23says,

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you. How much time have you given to studying at His feet? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God’s Word. 

Prayer Point

Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding by Your Word in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens 23 September 2016:- The Sure Solution

THE SURE SOLUTION – Friday September 23^rd 2016

Memorise: Pray without ceasing. 1^stThessalonians 5:17

Read: James 5:13-16, (KJV)

¹³ Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

¹⁴ Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 7-9, Psalms 66:10-20

MESSAGE

Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterized by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God’s ability. It is important to note that prayer plays a vital role in our quest to access more of God’s glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God’s presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration, when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone with God’s glory (Luke 9:29). Open Heavens 23 September 2016:- The Sure Solution

After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain victory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3by saying:

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God’s presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind the evil judgment and all manners of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1^stThessalonians 5:17 says: “Pray without ceasing”; Romans 12:12 talks about “…Continuing instant in prayer”; and Luke 18:1 says, “….men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life.James 4:2 says:

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

23 September 2016 open heavens

The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but to a lack of prayer. According to 2^ndChronicles 7:14

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray…”

Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if any God’s people will pray.   

Prayer Point

Father, please rekindle the fire of prayer in my life in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens 22 September 2016:- Demon Possessed?

DEMON POSSESSED? – Thursday September 22^nd 2016

Memorise: 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. Acts 10:38

Read: 1^st Samuel 16:14-23, (KJV)

¹⁴ But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

¹⁵ And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

¹⁶ Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

¹⁷ And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

¹⁸ Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lordis with him.

¹⁹ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

²⁰ And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

²¹ And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

²² And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

²³ And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 4-6, Psalms 66:1-9
MESSAGE

The use of the term “demon possessed” in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God’s presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument. I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word. Open Heavens 22 September 2016:- Demon Possessed?

  

As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognise the presence of God and they can’t be at rest in His presence. Even in church, while God’s anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:12-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God’s vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God’s presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you. 22 September 2016 open heavens

Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the does of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God’s Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus’ name. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus’ name. 

Prayer Point

Father, please let your presence and the power of your Word fill my life completely in Jesus’ name.

Open Heaven 21 September 2016:- Soldiers of the Cross

SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS – Wednesday September 21^st 2016

Memorise: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2^nd Timothy 2:3

Read: 2^nd Timothy 2:1-4, (KJV)

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

² And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

³ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 1-3, Psalms 65

MESSAGE

The word ‘soldier’ appears in the Bible quite frequently, along with a number of synonymous terms. A soldier is a person involved in military activity, one who is specially trained for war. In Bible days, the phrase ‘men who drew the sword,’ was commonly used to identify a soldier’s primary function as a combatant and to symbolise warfare in general. Ephesians 6:11-17, is a Bible reference comparing the weapons of a fully armed Roman soldier to that of a Christian’s spiritual armour. In recruiting earthly soldiers, some are chosen while others who are unfit are dropped. The fact that you are born again shows that you have scaled through the first selection hurdle. The next thing is to prove that you are a good solider of Jesus Christ. Why? There are bad soldiers of the Cross. There are many supposed soldiers in God’s army who are no better than earthly civilians. In 1^stTimothy 6:12, Paul enjoins fellow Heavenly soldiers to fight the good fight of faith. We have been called into a fight. It is a fight that is based on your faith in Christ. 2^nd Timothy 2:4 says: 21 September 2016 open heavens

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Open Heavens 21 September 2016:- Soldiers of the Cross

The chosen is also expected to be a soldier. Therefore, if you cannot fight to resist and terminate Satan’s operation in your life, family or church, you are a civilian not a soldier. If you cannot fight for God’s promise to be fulfilled in your life and circumstances, you are a civilian, not a soldier. Can you imagine a soldier who is armed and at the battle front drops his weapons, only to plead with fellow soldiers to assist him in shooting at his enemies? That is a civilian solider! In the Christian faith, there are many civilian soldiers. If you keep relying on others to pray for you, you are a civilian solider. If you pay prayer contractors to go to Prayer Mountains on your behalf while you are asleep at home, you are a civilian soldier. 

Civilian soldier make God nauseous. If you are a soldier of the Cross, you must endure hardness. If because of little trials- delayed conception, no money, or some persecution, you decide to call it quits with your faith in Christ, you become a deserter, not a soldier. Soldiers are tough and able to go through tough and difficult terrains. What would stop civilians cannot stop soldiers. They are armed, disciplined and operate according to the orders of their superiors. They are faithful to their oath to defend and kill identified enemies of the kingdom. They fight, putting their lives on the line. The big question that every Christian must answer with all sincerity is, are you a soldier of the cross, a deserter, or a civilian?     

Prayer Point

Father, I am determined to be a soldier of the cross, please help my resolve to stand for you and the Gospel in Jesus’ name.

20 September 2016 Open Heaven:-The Oldest Workman of God

THE OLDEST WORKMAN OF GOD – Tuesday September 20^th 2016

Memorise: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Read: Proverbs 8:22-35, (KJV)

²² The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

²³ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

²⁶ While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

²⁷ When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

²⁸ When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

²⁹ When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

³⁰ Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

³² Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

³³ Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵ For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

Bible in one year: Lamentations 3-5, Psalms 64

MESSAGE

The very first indication of God’s work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as fellows: Open Heavens 20 September 2016:- The Oldest Workman of God

“The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was.”

And John 1:1-3 says,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge.”

His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declared His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep. He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah. 20 September 2016 open heavens

 Prayer Point

Father, thank you for a beautiful world, and a magnificent universe.

19 September 2016 Open Heaven:- Fulfil Your Promise O Lord

FULFIL YOUR PROMISE O LORD – Monday September 19^th 2016

Memorise: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:20

Read: John 14:12-18, (KJV)

¹² 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.

¹³ And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Bible in one year: Lamentations 1-2, Psalms 63

MESSAGE

A promise is an express assurance to fulfil an intention upon which expectation is based. The promises of God reveal His specific and eternal purpose to which he is irreversibly committed and upon which Christians can totally depend. These promises are conditional upon obedience on the part of Children of God. God’s promises are irrevocable and He is absolutely trustworthy to make good His promises to His children. Open Heavens 19 September 2016:- Fulfil Your Promise O Lord

Whenever the fulfilment of a long standing promise is overdue, God will create an opportunity for divine favour, and God does not only give you an opportunity to key into it by sowing, but will also personally make a demand of you. When the time Heaven has set to favour a person comes, the promises suddenly assume the form of being ‘Yes and Amen’ in the life of the favoured. After waiting for 24 years of a promise from God, at the time of God’s favour, the Lord suddenly changed His promise to Abraham into an irreversible decree. Similarly, after Peter was promised a harvest of men in Luke 5:8-11, nothing happened for the first three years. Peter must have wondered if the Lord had forgotten, but He did not. Finally, at the arrival of the Holy Ghost, being the day of his favour, the one who could not ‘catch a human fish’ started to harvest thousands from every sermon. When God gives you a promise, wait on it until the day of your favour. Do not let go until that day, for that is the time of its fulfilment. Every promise the Lord has made to you shall come to pass this season in Jesus’ name. 19 September 2016 open heavens

In 1979, I went with my Father in the Lord in the company of four others to a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in the United States of America. That was our first trip to the USA. As the meeting ended on Saturday, we decided to worship in a local church the following day. While translating the message to my father in the Lord, since he could not speak, read, write or understand English, the preacher suddenly walked to him and said: “Thus saith the Lord, What I told you several years ago will soon be fulfilled”. And he returned to continue his message. When we got to our hotel later that day and I told him what the preacher said, he broke down in tears saying that when RCCG started, the Lord promised that if he would keep to certain conditions, He would ensure that the church spreads throughout the world. As at the time of this camp meeting, the church had only 39 parishes in addition to the Headquarter church. Not so long after my father in the Lord went home to glory in 1980, we had over 4,000 parishes in Lagos State alone; today our presence is felt in all 36 states in Nigeria and in more than 178 nations of the world because our time of favour came. This season, the Lord will fulfil pending promises in your life.

Prayer Point

Father, please my eyes are on you, fulfil your promises in my life in Jesus’ name.    

Open Heavens 18 September 2016:- Know Your Limit

KNOW YOUR LIMIT – Sunday September 18^th 2016

Memorise: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3

Read: Romans 12:3-10, (KJV)

³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

⁴ For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 52, Psalms 62

MESSAGE

The common saying that no man is an Island comes to play in a very strong way here. The meaning of the title ‘Know Your Limit’ as explained in the memory verse for today can only be properly understood in the light of Biblical doctrine. Theology is a big word that simply means the study of God; it is an indispensable part of spiritual learning. Divine truths are closely related to each other, and cannot be viewed in their right proportions or taught rightly except in their mutual connection. God inspired several individuals in the writing of the Bible, there is no book of the Bible that is complete in itself, each one depends on others to give complete knowledge of any aspect of Biblical Doctrine. Some tell the beginning, while others tell the middle or tail end of the story. For example, the doctrine of salvation, baptism, communion, divine healing, sin and the second coming of Jesus, cannot be fully understood by reading any one book of the Bible. This is the reason why 1^st Corinthians 2:13 says: 18 September 2016 open heavens

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

Therefore, in order for us to remain in tune with the Holy Ghost, we as Christians must be conscious of our limitations as human beings. First, we only know in part, our knowledge of anything is at best partial or subjective and dependent on available information. We must therefore acknowledge the general human limitations and our individual limitations in accordance with the mighty knowledge of God. This is the only way to remain humble and teachable, the only way to focus on the Spirit of the Word always, rather than the letter which kills (2^nd Corinthians 3:6) Open Heavens 18 September 2016:- Know Your Limit

This is the only way to be “approved unto God” and to “rightly divide the word of truth.” Note that the study of any particular Bible truth in isolation, without considering its relations to other Bible truths, is a common cause of narrowness which frequently produces heresy.   

Prayer Point

Father, please help me to know my limits and be focused on the spirit in Jesus’ name.