Open Heaven 1 July 2019 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye
Topic — Backsliding: A Negative Rebirth
Memorise: “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.”- Proverbs 14:14
Read: Daniel 4:28-33 (KJV)
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 7-8, Ezekiel 8:7-18
MESSAGE:
The spiritual regeneration experience can either be positive or negative. The type that Jesus recommended to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 is the positive kind. Describing it, the Holy Spirit says in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
However, there is also the negative kind of rebirth. When a person who was filled with good works turns around and begin to behave badly, such a person is manifesting the symptoms of negative rebirth. The Bible refers to this as backsliding. According to today’s memory verse, a “backsliding”. According to today’s memory verse, a backslider begins to behave abnormally, exalting personal satisfaction above God’s will.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation in today’s Bible reading demonstrates what negative rebirth is all about. In the twinkling of an eye, he changed from a royal majesty to an animal, to the extent that he began to graze like cattle! When a child of God suddenly develops the appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, pornography or extramarital affairs, he or she has experienced a negative rebirth. Don’t be surprised therefore when you see holiness preachers of yesteryear beginning to say that holiness is an illusion-they have undergone a negative rebirth. Are you in a backslidden state? My prayer for you is that the Almighty God will restore you, and every satanic appetite for sin shall vanish from your life in Jesus’ Name.
Why did Nebuchadnezzar experience negative rebirth? The answer lies in Daniel 4:27 – he refused to take heed when God’s prophet warned him to turn from his wicked ways. It is amazing that in spite of the miracles that Nebuchadnezzar experienced, including seeing the Son of God walking around in the fiery furnace, he continued to be arrogant before the God of heaven (Daniel 3:22-25). In like manner, is it not surprising that in spite of reality of HIV/AIDS, some people still practice prostitution and have several people patronizing them? It is more disheartening when one sees Christians or ministers of God for that matter going back to their old vomit and engaging in sexual immorality and fraudulent practices. Are you one of such people? God is saying to you today in Ezekiel 18:31:
“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
It is time for you to repent so that times of refreshing can be poured over your life (Acts 3:19).
Action Point: Examine your life today to see where you need positive rebirth through genuine repentance. If the Lord is speaking to you on this matter, go ahead and repent without further delay.
Hymn 9: In Christ Alone
1 In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
2 In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.
3 There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
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