OPEN HEAVEN 17 APRIL 2021 – SUBSTITUTED!
OPEN HEAVEN 17 APRIL 2021 TOPIC: Substituted!
MEMORISE: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. – Revelation 2:5
READ: Esther 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2 Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 32-33
Open Heaven 17 April 2021 MESSAGE:
From today’s Scripture reading, we concluded that substitution can be negative or positive. To Vashti it was negative, however to Esther, it was positive. The replacement that is coming your way shall be positive in Jesus’ name. Esther 2:17 says:
“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
Anyone who is able to install a king would also have the power to unseat him. Romans 13:1 says it is God who sets kings on the thrones. This is why anyone in a position of authority must be very careful not to offend the One who placed him or her there. Nebuchadnezzar is a classic example of someone who did not remember that the Almighty rules in the affairs of men. He did not realize his folly until he was turned into a beast.
You must endeavour to keep anything God has given you, to avoid being replaced. As believers, the story in Esther 2:1-17 should teach us some lessons. We must watch so that nobody would take our crown (Revelation 3:11). It is a pity that many so-called children of God are no longer holding fast their position of adoption, rather they are selling their birthright like Esau, for food.
Vashti momentarily forgot that she was a queen by virtue of the fact that her husband was the king. She flouted the king’s order and someone else took her crown. To avoid being replaced, we must be careful to obey, every instruction given to us by our Saviour, King and Husband – Jesus Christ, as we see in John 15:16-17.
The Scripture referenced above further enjoins us to bear fruits. When we do so, we honour and compliment Jesus’ work of salvation. However, when we refuse to bear fruit, we make His death a waste. Refusal to bear fruits could lead to one’s substitution. May you never experience negative substitution in Jesus’ name.
Open Heaven 17 April 2021 PRAYER POINT:
Father, whatever will make me lose my position in Christ don’t let me do it in the mighty name of Jesus.
Open Heaven 17 April 2021 HYMN 18: Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour
1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.
3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.
Open Heavens 2021 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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
