Open Heavens 1 September 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
Topic: Authority to Forbid
Memorise: “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”– Mark 11:24
Read: Matthew 18:18-20 (KJV)
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Bible in One Year: Psalm 100-104, Matthew 28
MESSAGE:
The magnitude of the Lord’s blessings under the new covenant is so astounding that we can barely comprehend the full dimensions of it. It is so great that even angels desire to understand it (1 Peter 1:2). The Holy Spirit describes its scope in 1 Corinthians 2:9, saying:
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
One of these blessings is that our status has been changed to that of gods. Our Father Himself declared this in Psalms 82:6, saying:
“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”
While on earth, Jesus demonstrated this new status that God bestowed on us by walking in authority and power, so much so that people marvelled and were in awe, saying, “What is this”, “We never saw it in this fashion” and “We have seen strange things today!” (Mark 1:27, Mark 2:12, Luke 5:26). When the Jews questioned His boldness and audacity, Jesus referred them to God’s word in the same Psalm 82:6 (John 10:34-36). Having shown us what it is to be gods, He has empowered and mandated us to begin to operate as gods on the earth, because as children of the Most High, we share in His power and authority.
Our authority as gods includes the power to allow and to forbid things. Matthew 18:18 says:
“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Through this power, we are to take charge for our Lord until He returns by enforcing the will of the Father on earth as it is written in heaven (Matthew 6:10). We have the authority to forbid whatever contradicts our Father’s will in our health, family, business, job, community and nation. In Psalm 82:2, the Holy Spirit challenges us, asking:
“How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?”
He then Commands us in Psalm 82:3-4:
“3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”
This forms part of our mandate as gods. As we evangelize the good news, whatever we forbid in the lives of the oppressed, diseased and afflicted shall be forbidden in Jesus’ Name. Let’s wake up to our responsibilities as gods today.
Action Point: Enforce your Father’s will over everything contrary to His will in your life and community.
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.
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