Divine Encounter

Open Heavens Daily Devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye
Tuesday August 19

DIVINE ENCOUNTER

Memorise:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:12

Read: John 1:11-13

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Message

God in His infinite wisdom created every human being with the potentials and abilities that they need to fulfil His purpose for their lives. Unfortunately, some pass through life without realising this potential; some others who do, fail to fully exploit it. Only a negligible few are able to exhaust their God-given potentials on earth. Recognising your potential starts from knowing the Lord Jesus and discovering your purpose in life. Knowing your purpose in life is tied to a relationship with the Creator of the heavens and earth. From today’s Bible reading, we understand that a very vital part of God’s plan for everyone created in the image of God is to become a “son of God”. Being born-again is not the same as becoming a son. The journey begins at the point of being born-again and then continues far into the spirit realm. This is where divine encounter comes in. It is absolutely impossible for anyone to undertake this journey except the person has a divine encounter with God. Even Jesus had to go through a process before He could go to the Cross. It took encountering the power of the Holy Spirit to prepare Him to fulfil destiny (Acts 10:38). I pray that you will not leave this world without fully realising your potential, in Jesus’ Name.

Divine encounter is a special visitation of heaven on earth; a meeting divinely arranged to accomplish an unusual spiritual agenda in the life of a chosen beneficiary for the ultimate fulfilment of God’s purpose. Without an encounter with the power of the Spirit, you would remain trapped and live far below your potential. To fulfil your destiny, you must partner with the Holy Spirit. This partnership must be kick-started by a divine encounter. Apart from Jesus Christ, another character who realised his potential was Peter. If you compare Peter before the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost with the Peter after Pentecost, you will notice some sharp differences. Before Pentecost, Peter was full of fear. He found it difficult to stand on his convictions. Even a maid could make him deny the Lord. But after Pentecost, he became so bold that not even the Council's threats could stop him. Before Pentecost, Peter realised his leadership potential but lacked the fire, zeal, direction and divine backing of the Holy Spirit to fulfil it. As a result of this, after the death of Christ, he dumped his main purpose of existence - fishing for souls, and went back to his old business - fishing at sea (John 21:1-3). After Pentecost however, he was able to perform according to Heaven's expectations. Are you feeling weak, fearful and discouraged from taking the necessary steps to fulfilling your purpose on earth? Like Peter, you need to encounter the power of the Holy Spirit, and what you lack will suddenly be provided. You shall fulfil your destiny in Jesus' Name. Ask God for the power to become who you were meant to be.

Prayer Point:
Father, please I need a divine encounter; Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can fulfil my destiny, in Jesus’ name.

Your New Life

YOUR NEW LIFE

Rom 5:18-19
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
NIV

Ebola virus is very much talked about in the world today. Its popularity picked up considerate heat when the virus (through one man) entered Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Some medical professionals have made it abundantly clear that such diseases are hard to cure because of the very dynamic nature of viruses but one way they can easily find a cure is if they can find a man who was once infected with the virus who is now cured; from Him they could carefully obtain antibodies with which they could develop a vaccine or cure. I am not very vast in medical science and hope I haven’t misrepresented the scientific principle I am trying to explain here. One thing is clear though, Ebola virus came into Nigeria through one man, and the same virus can be cured through another man whose body has succeeded in overcoming the incurable disease and recovered from the plague.
The virus of sin came into Humankind through one man (Adam) who was conquered by it. The solution to sin has also come into this world through one man (Jesus; the last Adam) who conquered sin. You are now in Christ Jesus and that His life that has the ability to conquer sin is now in you. Do not give room to the devil by thinking sin is too great to be conquered anymore. Know that it is not by your power but you now have a new powerful life that conquers sin. Walk in that life and not in the old life which is flesh. This new life is the spirit life; the old life is the flesh life (see John 3:6). You walk in this new life by living consciousness under total surrender to the lordship of Christ and control of the spirit

Go into today knowing that you are now born of the Spirit; you have a new life in you and this life is always victorious and flourishing.

Prayer: dear heavenly father, I thank you for your word today. I pray you help me walk in my new life and never again in the flesh, in Jesus name. Amen
By SD Abraham
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezekiel 19-24

Tay Connected

TAY CONNECTED

Eph 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
NIV
FURTHER STUDY: JOHN 15:1-16

All the authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto Jesus. This means that all the right and authorization to exert any form of power is given unto Jesus. Because you are joined with Christ; a member of His body, you automatically tap into this power that He has. The more effectively joined to Christ you are, the more flow of His power you will have in your life.

I want you to think of a branch that is joined to a tree; that branch enjoys from the substance of the tree, the power and life with which that branch survives is drawn from the tree. If a portion of the part connecting the branch to the tree has been severed, then the branch begins to die out and suffer, it may not die completely if it has a wound, but the branch will be deficient of substance till its connection to the tree is healed. If for some reason a branch gets infected with a disease, it will affect the flow of power in that branch and it needs to get healed to regain its normal stature. We are branches and Jesus is the vine.
Some of the things that sever our link with Christ are iniquity, guilt, and unbelief. One of the major causative factors of spiritual disease is guilt (listen to the audio for more insight).
God wants to do so much for you and through you, so much more than you can ever imagine. God will do this through the power that is in you. You get this power by staying joined to Christ.

Remember Jesus said “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”. John 15:7 KJV
The key to receiving more from God is having His power in your life, the key to this power is abiding in Christ, and the key to abiding in Christ is trust in Him and obeying His word.
Prayer: thank you heavenly father to the access I have to your great power. I pray dear lord that you help me walk constantly in this power, in Jesus name. Amen

By SD Abraham
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Luke 17-18

High Favour Is Yours

Sunday, September 21
High Favour Is Yours
Psalm 5:12; Psalm 102:13

Luke 1:30 " And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God."" Mary, the Virgin was to carry Jesus in her womb for nine months. The angel of the Lord came to her with news from heaven that she had found favour with God. "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God"" (Luke 1:30). She came under heaven's spot light. Favour singled her out of the multitude of virgins in Israel. What a generous selection! That was God's favour! She only carried Jesus in her womb for nine months to have warranted that much favour. How much more those in whom Jesus Christ lives forever! The Believer is the temple of God (1 Cor.6:16-20). Christ lives in us (Col.1:27); Christ in us, is our hope of glory. We are highly favoured of God. Every man in Christ has come into favour with God (Ps. 5:12). You need to be aware of this truth. None in Christ is disadvantaged in any way. We have favour where it matters. Glory to God! The Word declares in Psalm 102:13: "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."" Beloved, the dispensation of grace is that of favour. In Christ Jesus, every man has unqualified access into God's vast provisions of grace without paying any price. Why? Jesus paid the price for us to enjoy God's favour. Beloved, shout it on the roof top that you are highly favoured of God. I am highly favoured!

Other Scriptures for Meditation: Deuteronomy 33:23; Acts 2:46-47

My Solid Front (Confession)
In the Name of Jesus, I declare that I am highly favoured, I have a goodly heritage, I have found favour before God, and therefore men favour me everywhere I go. Amen.

Children of GOD

CHILDREN OF GOD

Rom 8:15-17
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, "Abba, Father."* 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.
NLT

Maureen couldn’t believe that Mr. Willhorf was now her father. Mr. and Mrs. Willhorf saw her in the orphanage home and adopted her; they changed her last name to Willhorf and gave her a bedroom in their home. She had all the privileges of a true child. She was now to relate with Mr. and Mrs. Willhorf as her parents and no longer as the proprietors of the orphanage she grew up in.

In the Old Testament, the best relationship a human being could have with God was that of a slave and a master; that in itself was a great privilege and this would require that you walk in certain physical laws that are to produce righteousness in the followers. In the New Testament, God has chosen us and adopted us into His family. We are now members of the household of God. We are now to approach God with love and boldness just like a child would his father who loves him.

Go into today with the renewed mind that God is indeed your father, that because of this your relationship you have great privileges. Even if you sin God forgives you and does not remember your sins anymore. He is more interested in you than you can ever know.

Prayer: thank you heavenly father for making me your own. I pray you help walk worthy of this, in Jesus name I pray. Amen

-SD Abraham

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 1-2
PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH FRIENDS

ANAK BAPA DI SYURGA

ANAK BAPA

Roma 8:15-17  Sebab kamu tidak menerima roh perbudakan yang membuat kamu menjadi takut lagi, tetapi kamu telah menerima Roh yang menjadikan kamu anak Allah. Oleh Roh itu kita berseru: "ya Abba, ya Bapa!" Roh itu bersaksi bersama-sama dengan roh kita, bahwa kita adalah anak-anak Allah. Dan jika kita adalah anak, maka kita juga adalah ahli waris, maksudnya orang-orang yang berhak menerima janji-janji Allah, yang akan menerimanya bersama-sama dengan Kristus, yaitu jika kita menderita bersama-sama dengan Dia, supaya kita juga dipermuliakan bersama-sama dengan Dia.

Maureen tidak percaya bahawa Encik Willhorf kini adalah bapanya. Encik dan Puan Willhorf melihat dia di rumah anak yatim rumah dan mengangkat beliau sebagai anak; mereka menukar nama akhir beliau untuk Willhorf dan memberikannya sebuah bilik tidur di rumah mereka. Beliau mempunyai semua keistimewaan sebagai seorang kanak-kanak. Dia sekarang memiliki perhubungan dengan Encik dan Puan Willhorf sebagai ibu bapa beliau dan tidak lagi sebagai anak yatim di mana dia membesar dahulu.

Dalam Perjanjian Lama, hubungan yang terbaik yang dimiliki seorang manusia dengan Tuhan ialah seorang hamba dan tuan; itu adalah satu keistimewaan yang besar dan ini akan memerlukan anda berjalan di dalam undang-undang tertentu secara fizikal untuk dibenarkan menjadi pengikut.

Dalam Perjanjian Baru, Allah telah memilih kita dan menerim kita ke dalam keluarga-Nya. Kita kini adalah ahli keluarga Tuhan. Kita sekarang boleh mendekati Allah dengan kasih sayang dan keberanian seperti seorang kanak-kanak yang disukai oleh bapanya. Berjalanlah hari ini dengan minda diperbaharui bahawa Allah adalah sesungguhnya bapa anda, bahawa kerana hubungan anda ini, anda mempunyai keistimewaan yang besar. Walaupun anda berbuat dosa Tuhan pun memaafkan dan tidak ingat dosa-dosa anda lagi. Beliau lebih berminat dengan anda daripada yang pernah anda boleh tahu.

Doa: terima kasih bapa syurga kerana menjadikan saya sebagai milik-Mu. Saya berdoa agar Engkau membantu saya berjalan sesuai dengan kehendak-Mu, dalam nama Yesus saya berdoa. Amen
-SD Abraham

THE BIBLE DALAM SATU TAHUN: John 1-2
SILA SHARE INI DENGAN RAKAN-RAKAN

One prayer, One Answer

I learn something today. Actually I want to pray again for my friend to get a job. But, something stuck in my heart. I taken back my prayer. Why? Because I already pray once. Once is enough. God heard my prayer. I remember about that Roman officer. He said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant be healed!" Mat 8:8.

Just one prayer, enough for for one answer from God.

