Open Heavens 23 February 2018: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye

Memorise: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” – James 1:17

Read: Exodus 13:20-22 (KJV)

20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 23-24; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22

MESSAGE

Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to His disciple a very important aspect of His Being when He declared Himself as the Light of the world in John 8:12:

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

He followed this up by manifesting this attribute when He performed a creative miracle in order to bring the light into the life of a man who had never been able to see (John 9). Before creating eyes where non existed before, to signify the purpose of what He was about to do, He declared in John 9:5:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

I pray that any form of darkness engulfing your life will disappear today in Jesus’ Name. You cannot drive away darkness. All you need to do to make darkness disappear is to let in the light. For this reason, I ask you to allow Jesus into every area of your life without exception, because wherever He is, there will be light. If He enters your life today, light has enter into you.

From today’s memory verse, we understand that Jesus is also the Father of lights. It then follows that if Jesus is the Father of lights, He must have children who are lights. Who then are the children of the Father of lights? We Christians are. He revealed our identity to us in Matthew 5:14, saying:

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

There is no hiding place for genuine children of Light, because they cannot but function to expose the works of darkness. As lights, we are to guide those who are in darkness out of it (Romans 2:19). As our Lord is the Light of the world, so are we. We must shine on His behalf by exposing the evil of sin and wickedness of the devil and his agents. Doing this will certainly attract persecution and so we must be battle-ready against the kingdom of darkness. Our focus must be on Jesus Christ the Light from whom we obtain our light. Let’s hold on to His message to us in John 15:19:

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

This is where the problem lies: children of the Light today are not ready to be hated. They would rather conform to the world instead of using their light to transform the world. God will help you shine brightly as an agent of transformation in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, please help me shine for You in the darkness of this world, and according to Your word, don’t let darkness comprehend my light in Jesus’ Name.

Hymn 5: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back