Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye – A Great Secret of Overcomers

Topic: A Great Secret of Overcomers (Open Heaven 20 October 2018)

Memorise: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”– 2 Timothy 3:15

Read: Matthew 4:1-11 (KJV)

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 9-10, Luke 8:40-9:6

Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday MESSAGE:

The term “Overcomer” is used in Christian parlance to describe a champion, victor or conqueror. It describes a person who has run the Christian race and finished it triumphantly. In His letter to the seven churches in Asia, the Lord revealed seven different rewards He would give to those who fit this description (Revelation 2-3). Beyond these seven rewards, in Revelation 21:7, the Father Himself promised one final reward for overcomers, saying:

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

How amazing! If I were you, I will strive very hard to partake of these rewards. To qualify as an overcomer, I recommend that you first take a look at the life of those who ran the Christian race before you and overcame. This will help you understand the secrets of how they succeeded, and you can then apply those principles in your own heavenly race. Let’s take a look at the greatest of these overcomers, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:21). Of all the battles He won, He triumphed over the devil in two spectacular ways that are worthy of mention. First, in our Bible text, He was engaged by the devil in a crucial contest and He knocked the devil out through the power of God’s word. Secondly, although the devil masterminded His arrest, trial and execution, the Lord still triumphantly worked out the miracle of His resurrection from the dead. Colossians 2:15 says,

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Through His death, the Lord defeated the devil in hell and paraded him and his cohorts in an open show of shame, confirming His supremacy over the kingdom of darkness. I pray that you will comprehend and begin to walk in the victory of Jesus from today in Jesus’ Name.

While He was in this world, what was the main weapon used by the Lord in overcoming? It is God’s word. Several times, he quoted the Scriptures as a weapon against the devil. God gave us His word as a tool for developing strong faith and confidence in Him. We are nurtured in faith and brought to spiritual maturity through His word. Remembering God’s great deeds in the past builds up our hope in Him (Roman 15:4). Besides giving us hope, God’s word is also a potent weapon of warfare against the kingdom of darkness (2 Corinthians 10:4). It is empowered to pull down the strongholds of sin, sicknesses, generational curses and death. It also has the power to break the yolk of failure, barrenness and poverty I therefore decree that the power in the word of God will completely destroy every yoke in your life today in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday Prayer Point:

Father, please grant me grace to finish the race as an overcomer in Jesus’ Name.

Also Read: Open Heaven 19 October 2018 – Jesus: The Way

Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday Hymn 18: Conqueror and Overcomers Now Are We

1. Conquerors and overcomers now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory
If the Lord be for us we can never fail,
Nothing ‘gainst His mighty power can e’er prevail.

Chorus
Conquerors are we, thr’o the blood of Jesus
God will give us victory, thro’ the blood of Jesus
Through the Lamb for sinners slain,
Yet who lives and reigns again,
More than conquerors are we,
More than conquerors are we.

2. In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,
Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;
Not to us but unto Him the praise shall be,
For salvation and for blood bought victory.

3. Unto Him that overcometh shall be given,
Here to eat of hidden manna sent from Heaven,
Over yonder He the victors palm shall bear,
And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 20 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional

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RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual 21 October 2018 Lesson 8 – Partners (Not Staff) In Christian Service

TOPIC: Partners (Not Staff) In Christian Service

OPENING PRAYER: Father, help me to follow Christ to the very end. (Scroll down for RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL 21 OCTOBER 2018 HYMN)

MEMORY VERSE: “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” – John 15:15 (scroll down for RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL 21 OCTOBER 2018 HYMN)

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual 21 October 2018)

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

LESSON INTRODUCTION:

By definition, a partner is a person who takes part in an undertaking with another or others, especially in a business or firm with shared risk and profits. A staff is an employee of an organisation. Unlike the contemporary workplace, believers are expected to be partners together with Christ. Our commitment should be motivated by reward/wages as staff but as partners.

TEXT REVIEW: 1 COR.3:6-9 – “SYNERGY FOR THE KINGDOM”

Unity in the ministry was demonstrated in such a way that the grace of God in the life of an individual was allowed to grow until such an individual has grown into perfection. Acts 18:24- 28. We may not understand in the duo Of Paul and Apollos and how the greater encouraged the lesser to build for the kingdom.

Acts 18 : 24-28 indicated that Apollos as a Jew and was born at Alexandra. He was eloquent and mighty in scriptures. Acts 18:24. He was fervent in the Spirit. He spoke mightily in the public, convincing the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Acts 18:28. But he had only the Baptist of John the Baptist, and had not the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

However, Aquila and Priscilla saw value in the apparent weakness of Apollos and decided to brace him up more perfectly,Acts 18:26. Similarly the brethren at Ephesus writes to those in Achaia to receive Apollos highlighting how God had mightily used him. Acts 18:28

This is unity, this is synergy in action. This same Spirit of unity worked in Apostle Paul (who spoke more perfectly the mystery with God’s wisdom and was filled with the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:6-7) when he wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave increase”. 1 Cor. 3:6.

Apollos could have opted to be General Overseer in his own right while Paul too in his own right and would have heard their followers (1 Cor. 3:4), but instead, Apostle Paul advocated unity (1 Cor. 3:8-9) and called on those who had thought otherwise to come together as co-labourers and build together for the sake of the kingdom. 1 Cor. 3:8

LESSON OUTLINE 1: JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST

Connotation, Responsibilities and Attributes of Joint Heirs of God.
(i) Having relationship with God the father as children. Rom. 8:15
(ii) Having the right to receive God’s inheritance. Rom. 8:17, 1 Peter 1:4
(iii) It is having a “sonship” status in God’s kingdom. John 1:12-13
(iv) It is having the same privileges with Christ. Rom. 8:14-17
(v) It is having the privilege to serve God. Gen. 2:7-15
(vi) It is having assurance of new life. 2 Cor. 5:17
(vii) It is a call into service. It is a call to showcase the light of Christ. 1 Peter 2:9
(viii) It is a call to do the work of the father. John 4:34, 5:17, 9:4
(ix) It is a call to walk in the footsteps of the Christ. John 5:19-20, 14:12
(x) It is a call to partner with Christ in God’s vineyard. John 15:15.

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: What are the other benefits of being joint heirs with Christ.

LESSON OUTLINE 2: CO-LABOURERS ON EARTH

Reasons Why Believers Must Be Co- Labourers on Earth in God’s Vineyard.
(I) All believers are purchased with the same price and are baptized into the same Spirit and live by the same commandments. 1 Cor. 12:13
(ii) Believers have different ministerial gifts to work for the purpose of perfecting the saints and edifying the body of Christ. Eph. 4:11-13
(iii) The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few. Luke 10:2
(iv) Because all co-labourers will receive sure rewards from God for their services. Col. 3:23-25; 1 Cor. 3:8-9

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Why should co-labourers in God’s vineyard avoid disunity and competition?

SUMMARY:
Believers are joint-heirs with Christ and co-labourers with one another.

CONCLUSION:
Christian service is our father’s business and being joint heirs with Christ, we must see ourselves as partners in the venture rather than whose utmost interest lies in their wages. We must focus on heaven and please God by making sacrifices in the course of the kingdom business.

EVALUATION:
Mention three (3) attributes of a joint heir with Christ and three (3) reasons to be co-labourers

CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, help my Sunday School class to play our roles in God’s vineyard.

ASSIGNMENT:
Give five (5) reasons why why some Ministers of God compete instead of complementing one another. 2 Marks for each point.

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RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL 21 OCTOBER 2018 HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?