Topic: The Believer’s Authority I [Wednesday 11, October 2017]

Memorise: “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.” – Luke 9:1

Read: Luke 9:1-6

1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.

5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

Bible In One Year: Matthew 23-24. Hymn: Sing Hymn 12 – My Hope Is Build On Nothing Less

MESSAGE:

A believer’s power and authority are two potent legacies that are beyond any man’s imagination. However, it is unfortunate that many children of God do not recognize them. This is the reason why the devil batters them on every side. As a result of this ignorance, the victor becomes a victim of circumstances. Power is the ability to perform a function and this is what Jesus Christ has made available to all His genuine disciples. Authority is more valuable than power because you can have the ability to do something, but if you don’t have the authority, you may not be able to.

The power to live above sin is made available through the work of redemption that Jesus Christ wrought at Calvary. When you come to Jesus Christ and you believe that He came to save you from the power of sin, He will not only forgive you, but will also give you the power to go and sin no more (John 8:11). This is the assurance that we have; that the grace of Jesus Christ will deliver us from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14). My prayer is that you will not be defeated by the power of sin in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: I prophesy to my life: I will no longer be a victim of sin, but a victor in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

Topic: Maintaining Purity in Courtship (2)

Dear Reader,

Last week, I started this teaching on how to maintain purity in courtship by showing you the purpose of courtship. However, this week I shall continue with that teaching.

Some Christians begin in the Spirit and end up in the flesh. The Word of God lists all the various works of the flesh: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

Some begin quite well in the Spirit, but mess up half way by engaging themselves in the works of the flesh. All categories of uncleanness are referred to as the works of the flesh. Since courtship is not marriage, you have no marriage rights over the other until marriage is contracted. The Bible says: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled (Hebrews 13:4). Marriage is an honourable thing when the bed is undefiled. Once the bed is defiled, that marriage has lost its honour. What you do with the bed during courtship amounts to laying a foundation for what your marriage will be like when you get into it. The law of sowing and reaping still holds here. The Bible says: Whilst the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest shall not cease… (Genesis 8:22). Since the earth is still remaining, whatever a man sows, he will reap. When the bed is defiled, the seed is sown and you can be sure that it will produce and when harvest time comes, it will manifest.

Discuss your visions and goals together

In other not to engage in the works of the flesh, this is the time to discuss about your visions and goals together. This is a very important point to note. Goals and plans for the future ought to be made clear to each other. Marriage is for help, not hurt. It is a decision made by you to help the other party fulfill his or her goals and vision in life and vice versa.

Before I married my husband, I had known what direction he wanted to take. I had known his depth of love for God, his character and his integrity. Ours was quite a long courtship but I have no regrets. It has really helped me in being able to understand the kind of person he is and because of that, we have enjoyed every bit of our marriage. Just a word of caution “A broken courtship is better than a broken marriage.” When you discover differences that show incompatibility, it is wiser to dissolve the relationship instead of being another number on the divorce list.

Check for maturity

Since the period of courtship is a time of proving all things, it is wisdom to prove his or her maturity. In God’s concept, marriage is for men and women, not for boys and girls. The Bible says: The rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man (Genesis 2:22). The Word of God also says: Therefore shall a man…cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Take particular note of these words ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in the above passages. Maturity is required before marriage. One needs to be matured spiritually, physically and emotionally and this must be addressed in courtship.

However, maturity can be determined from two viewpoints: age and ability to handle life situations. These two put together, help in determining how mature an individual is. One that is mature for marriage should be able to assume responsibility for his or her actions, and take up the welfare of his or her spouse and children. If you are not mature enough to be a parent, then you are not mature enough for marriage. Adulthood is a basic requirement for success in marriage.

When you are spiritually, emotionally and physically mature for marriage, you will be able to control various aspects of your life and also, you will be in control of your emotions. Wild emotions or impure emotions can lead to defilement of the marriage bed in courtship. You will discover, therefore, that God’s concept of courtship is quite different from man’s concept. Everybody has a choice to make – whether or not to accept man’s concept or God’s. However, it should be noted that God, who is the sole designer of courtship and marriage, has the correct view. His view must be taken, if we desire to reap the full reward of honour in marriage via pure courtship.

If you desire more counsel, ask God in prayer. For your prayer to be answered, you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If this is your desire, say this prayer in faith: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

Congratulations, you are now born-again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

Topic: The Problem of Boredom [Wednesday October 11, 2017]

. . . knowing what lies ahead for you, you won’t become bored with being a Christian . . .  — Hebrews 6:12 (TLB)

Do you know what nearly all the sociologists say today in their study of young people? The greatest problem facing young people today is not sex—it is boredom. Did you know that when they had the riot at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire they asked the young people what was wrong, why did they do it? Many of them said, “Just for the hell of it.” Bored—life has no purpose, life has no meaning. Give your life to Christ and you will never spend another bored minute.

Prayer for the day: Lord Jesus, when I gave my life to You, my days were flooded with the splendor of Your love.

Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.

Topic: The Meaning Of Passover – Wednesday October 11, 2017.

Luke 22:16 “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Text: Luke 22:15-18

The Lord longed to share the passover meal with His disciples. He was less than 24 hours away from fulfilling His mission and, like anyone who can see the finish line, He must have had feelings of relief and excitement.

The passover meal commemorated the Jews’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 13:3-10). It also had a much deeper spiritual application that, as Jesus explains here, would be fulfilled through His death. The Jewish nation as a whole had missed any future prophetic meaning of the passover.

On the night of the original passover, the Lord passed through the land of Egypt and judged the land by slaying all the firstborn men and beasts. The Jews had to slay a spotless lamb, take its blood and apply it to the door posts of their homes. They were commanded to remain indoors, under the covering of this blood until morning. When the Lord passed through the land at midnight to execute His judgment, He passed over the homes that had the lamb’s blood on their doors and no one inside was hurt. This is a perfect picture of the redemption that Jesus provides for us.

Everyone deserves judgment because of their sins. However, Jesus provided Himself as a spotless, sacrificial lamb for us, so that if we apply His blood to our lives by confessing Him as Lord, God will pass over us on judgment day.

Jesus was sacrificed on the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish year – the exact day and time that the passover lambs were being slain. Truly, “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Topic: Prepare for Persecution [Wednesday October 11, 2017]

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. – 2 Timothy 3:12

Did you catch that? He said all who live godly lives are going to suffer persecution. Not just the super-saints, not just the missionaries in hostile lands—but all.

If you’re going to live for God, you’re going to run into persecution somewhere along the line. The devil’s going to make sure of it!

Now I’m not saying that to frighten you or to depress you. I’m saying it because I want you to be prepared.

When you’re wise to the strategies of the devil, it’s harder for him to use them successfully on you to confuse you and get you off track.

Second Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” So stay armed and ready for Satan’s attack. Then, whenever and however it comes, it won’t bring your life to a halt or even slow you down.

That’s especially important right now because we’re living in the last days. The devil’s time is drawing short. He is desperate. He is going to do everything he can to stop the Church. But Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church!

Remember the more we grow to be like Jesus and the more God’s glory is revealed through our lives, the bigger threat we are to Satan’s kingdom. Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad at such a time, and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven” (Luke 6:23, The Amplified Bible).

So, when persecution comes your way, and you know it will, rejoice and be glad. Take the Jesus cure and begin to leap and jump and praise God! There is no way persecution will hurt you if you do that. I’ve tried it and it works.

Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-15

This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.

Topic: Follow The Divine Order — Wednesday October 11, 2017.

“And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite, three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.” (2 Samuel 6:11 KJV)

In the days of the children of Israel, whenever they brought the Ark into the battle, the battle was as good as won. Now the Ark of God has been in the house of a man, a priest by the name Abinadab and he was regarded and respected. It is shocking that the Ark was in the house of a priest for twenty years and yet nothing happened. How can God be in my house for that long and nothing will happen. It is an abomination!

It’s an abomination that for twenty years of salvation there is no change. Twenty years of giving your life to Christ, you have your name in the church register and there’s no change. When it comes to Jesus, it is a personal encounter. My father is a minister of the gospel will not save the child. You must personally, at one point or the other make the decision to receive Jesus Christ into your life. Twenty years, the Ark was in the house of a priest and no change. It is unexplainable.

So, the Ark was finally taken to the house of Obededom, the Gittite. In three months, everything about his life changed. Obededom is a fusion of two words and it means, the servant of blood. Obededom was everyday sacrificing blood to this Ark. No wonder he was blessed, in three months everything around him was blessed in three months. Obededom followed the divine order as demanded by God.

Beloved, commit to living a life of daily worship and obedience to the word of the living God today through His Son Jesus Christ. In the Kingdom of God, everything must be done according to the due order. Don’t bring your own idea. Reverence the things of the Spirit.

Further reading: 2 Samuel 6:1-11

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Isaiah 37-38; Evening- Colossians 3

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.

Topic: A Table In The Wilderness [Wednesday October 11, 2017]

Scripture: Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. Matthew 15:32-33.

Thought For The Day: Divine provisions flow in the direction of those who are not lacking in preparation.

Our anchor scripture tells us of the multitude that were with Jesus and His disciples in the wilderness for three days and three nights. They were probably under the rain and the sun with nowhere to lay their heads, absolutely abandoned to God. Jesus had compassion on them and asked that they be fed, lest they faint in the way.

This statement of Jesus implies that:

1. God remembers the needs of those who forget their needs before Him. The people were willing to go hungry until God remembered their needs for nourishment. When you submit your life in total abandonment to God, God becomes committed to your absolute fulfilment in life.

2. Miracles happen for those who are prepared to receive them. Divine provisions flow in the direction of those who are not lacking in preparation. Many people are ready for where they are now, but are not ready for where God wants to take them.

3. To thank God for what you have is to call forth what you lack. Thanksgiving invites the blessing of God from Heaven. The starting point for receiving anything new from God is by appreciating everything good in your life.

Remember This: Divine provisions flow in the direction of those who are not lacking in preparation.

Assignments:

1. Make appreciation your major agenda in life.

2. Make the need for your God your foremost need in life.

Prayer: O LORD, I thank You for all the good things You have done for me. LORD, show me the area of preparation I need for Your visitation in my life today, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: A TABLE IN THE WILDERNESS – THE POWER OF THE WORD (Pt 3)

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 16:16 to 18:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:1 to 5:3, Psalm 81:1 to 16, Proverbs 25:6 to 8.

Quote: If the earth is holding something that belongs to you, it will surrender it to your joy. Culled from 21 UNCOMMON KEYS TO FINANCIAL OVERFLOW by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: The world’s most popular fruit is the tomato.

Today In History: 11/10/1984 – American Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first female astronaut to spacewalk. She was aboard the space shuttle Challenger.

Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities.

Topic: Deeds Of The Wicked — Wednesday October 11, 2017.

Text: Job 24:14-25

Key Verse: “The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief” (Job 24:14).

Man is governed by a divine order that makes him go out in the morning to labour till sunset in order to provide for his family and dependents. But the wicked turn this order upside down by making the night their day in carrying out their evil activities. It is a perplexing situation for man in his limited understanding and knowledge to understand why certain things do happen.

For instance, why do the wicked seem to prosper in this life? “The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face”. Job’s friends knew that the prosperity of the wicked was for a brief moment. They had reasoned that Job’s suffering was as a result of his sins and concluded that God had at last visited him with divine judgment.

They concluded that he was among the wicked, who “are exalted for a little while but are gone and brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others”. The truth was that Job did not suffer for any sin he committed. The righteous may suffer affliction but the Lord will surely deliver him. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all”. It is better to suffer for righteousness’ sake than for sin and wickedness. Some afflictions are permitted by God to strengthen our spiritual muscles and to teach us to wholly depend on Him.

If you search yourself and discover that the affliction you are passing through is not on account of any sin, do not give in but wholeheartedly wait for God’s perfect timing for deliverance and liberty. Storms should not alarm the believer, for they must cease.

Thought for the day: The confidence of the believer is in God’s righteousness.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Kings 21-22

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

Topic: Be Of Good Cheer— Wednesday 11, October 2017.

Memorise: A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. – Proverbs 15:13

Read: Matthew 14:23-27 (KJV)

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Bible in One Year: 1 Corinthians 15-16, Daniel 5:13-28, Hymn: Sing Hymn 4 – Through The Love Of God Our Saviour

MESSAGE:

The message in today’s memory verse is food for thought for those children of God who think that being sorrowful or morose is a Christian virtue. A gloomy spirit is of the devil, who wants us to be in sorrow continually. In contrast to this, God wants all His children to be happy. The Holy Spirit in Isaiah 61:3 said that God gives joy to the sorrowful:

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Coming up next: Open Heavens 12 October 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Obedient Children

The Lord Jesus Christ, who came to demonstrate the nature and the character of God, read the above scripture in a synagogue on a certain day, and He declared:

“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” – Luke 4:21b

By this declaration, as a child of God, you should not live in sorrow any more.

All through the course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, one statement that was common with Him was, “Be of good cheer”. In other words, “Have a merry heart”. He continually said this because He knew that a merry heart results in a smiling face and is like medicine to the body and soul (Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22). For example, John 16:33, Jesus told the disciples to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. This means that, as children of God, we should not go about in life wearing a sorrowful face in self-pity – not even when we are confronted with the challenges of life. In the story of the man afflicted with the palsy, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because his sins were forgiven (Matthew 9:2). In other words, “Son, although your sins brought this sickness to your life, you are now forgiven, and you are made whole.” I prophesy to you today, irrespective of the agonising condition your past life has brought into your present, the Lord will redeem you today. You are forgiven by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you will be happy again in Jesus’ Name. In today’s Bible reading, the disciples were in the midst of the sea and its waves tossed them here and there. In the midst of palpable fear and despair, Jesus came to them and rebuked their faithlessness, before rebuking the destructive wind. He then encouraged them to be of good cheer. In like manner, the Lord is speaking to you today that you will not drown in that situation. Be cheerful because Emmanuel is with you. Your joy shall come, and it shall come in full measure in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, flood my heart with unspeakable joy today and for ever more.

Open Heavens 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.