Open Heavens for Teens Wednesday 29 May 2019 Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic — Victory: How Permanent?

Memorise: “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.” – Psalms 98:1

Read: Joshua 7:1-6

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Bible In One Year: 1 Chronicles 26-27, John 11:18-46

MESSAGE:

Every victory God gives to you can be retained or lost depending on several factors. Many people know how to obtain victory, but don’t know how to keep them. It is better to continue in defeat than to have victory and return to defeat due to the inability to keep it. After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, Moses immediately composed a song of praise and thanksgiving that they sang repeatedly. After then, every effort to cause them to return to Egypt failed: their victory was permanent. Anyone who does not know how to be grateful to God may never enjoy permanent victory.

Many people once walked in the victory that Christ has given over flesh, failure, sickness and more, but later lost the reality of that victory. In Joshua 7 & 8, Joshua lost his victory because someone in his camp tampered with what he shouldn’t have. Thus simply tells us that one’s victory could be reversed by the misbehavior of a close associate. If you keep walking with those unserious students, it is only a matter of time before your victory over failure in exams goes missing. Be very careful with the type of company you keep because the consequences of their actions have an effect on you too.

Key Point:

Thanksgiving I’d the glue that helps to firmly attach your blessings to you.

Hymn 12: Let us with a gladsome mind 

1 Let us with a gladsome mind 

Praise the Lord for He is kind:

Chorus

For His mercies shall endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

2 God, with all-commanding might,

Filled the new-made world with light:

3 All things living He doth feed;

His full hand supplies their need:

4 Let us then with gladsome mind 

Praise the Lord, for He is kind: