Open Heaven 2 April 2023 – Whose Side Are You On?
Open Heaven 2 April 2023 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Whose Side Are You On?
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Open Heaven 2 April 2023 TOPIC: Whose Side Are You On?
MEMORISE: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” – Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)
READ: Ephesians 6:10-18 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 4-7
Open Heaven 2 April 2023 MESSAGE:
Human beings are faced with all kinds of wars from their conception all through to the day they leave this earth. Genesis 38:27 says that when a woman is in labour, she is travailing. After she puts to bed, the child begins to confront all kinds of enemies – known and unknown. In Matthew 10:36, Jesus Christ Himself said a man’s foes will be they of his own household. If the Lord showed you all the relatives and family friends who wanted you to die in infancy, it would surprise you, but thank God you survived.
Also Read: Open Heaven 1 April 2023 – Who Is Your Father?
When we talk about household enemies, it could be your father or even your mother. If you don’t believe that parents can be their child’s enemies, read Genesis 27, where you will see how a mother plotted against her own son and denied him of his blessings.
I have always wondered about when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him and Isaac asked where the lamb for the sacrifice was. Instead of his father telling him the truth, he said instead, “God will provide”. Isaac must have looked around, shocked as his father was tying him up, thinking, “So I am the ram?”
What about the in-laws? Read 1 Samuel 18:29 and you will see a man – King Saul, being described as the enemy of his son-in-law – David. That is not to talk about witches and wizards, principalities and powers, et cetera (Ephesians 6:12). In this warfare, there are two different hosts fighting for the souls of men. You can either decide to take sides with the heavenly host or the demonic hosts – you cannot be neutral. What determines the side you pick are your actions and inactions. If you pick the side of God, then you will stay away from sin and cling to Jesus Christ daily (Luke 9:23); you will pray, study your bible, witness and do all that He requires of you daily. Those who pick the devil’s side live according to the dictates of their flesh and commit sin. For those who stay away from sin, they will end up victorious and make it to heaven at the end (Revelation 3:5), while those who commit sin will end up in the lake of fire with the devil and his demons (Matthew 25:41). The choice is in your actions.
Open Heaven 2 April 2023 REFLECTION:
Check your life and be sincere with yourself: are you on the side of Jesus Christ or on that of the devil?
Open Heaven 2 April 2023 HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord
1 I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord
By the power of grace divine
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Open Heavens 2023 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. Open Heaven for Today 2023
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)
