Thoughts by irene

30/01/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY JANUARY 30TH 2026

THEME: UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS IV

MEMORISE: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

READ: Matthew 16:13-23
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

MESSAGE
Today, I want to conclude this series by discussing another kind of trap which the devil uses. This trap is very subtle but potent in keeping people under his bo***ge. It is something I would like to call a trap of hypnosis. In this case, the devil hypnotizes an individual by trapping his or her mind and taking control of it.

In today's Bible reading, Jesus asked His disciples who He was, and one of them, Peter, accurately described the person of Jesus. When he gave that description, Jesus announced that he could only have gotten it from a divine revelation. However, the next moment, when Jesus was telling the disciples about the things that were to come, Peter rebuked Him and said that He was not going to die. Immediately, Jesus said, "Get thee behind me, Satan..."In a split moment, the devil had put Peter in bo***ge and was controlling his thoughts and speech, such that he started speaking as the devil's puppet without knowing it.

One major tool the devil uses to hypnotize people today and take control of their minds is social media. He pushes certain ideologies to them consistently, and after a while, they begin to think the thoughts that he wants them to think. We see this everywhere in the world today; things that were considered shameful and an abomination a few decades ago are now seen as normal in society. The devil particularly targets children, ensuring that they learn all sorts of abominable things at a tender age so that he can take control of their fragile minds. As a child of God, you must beware of this subtle but very dangerous tool that the devil is using to bring people into bo***ge.

Many times, the devil sneaks his evil ideas into songs and movies, and by so doing, he subtly introduces them to unsuspecting people, hypnotizing them without their knowledge. This is why 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that you must pray without ceasing. To avoid this trap of the devil, you must remain in touch with the Holy Spirit at all times by studying the Bible diligently, meditating on it at all times, and praying without ceasing.

Beloved, watch, pray, and guard your heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). You must take heed lest you fall (1 Corinthians 10:12) because Jesus Himself said that it were possible, even God's very elect will be victims of the devil (Matthew 24:24).

KEY POINT
Watch, pray, and guard your heart with all diligence.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 8-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!

1. Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven!
Feed me now and evermore (2ce)

2. Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer! strong deliverer!
Be Thou still my strength and shield (2ce)

3. If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Bear me through the swelling torrent,
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises! songs of praises!
I will ever give to Thee (2ce)

4. Saviour, come! We long to see Thee,
Long to dwell with Thee above;
And to know in full communion,
All the sweetness of Thy love.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus!
Take Thy waiting people home (2ce)

29/01/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY JANUARY 29TH 2026



THEME: UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS III



MEMORISE: Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and wha tsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 18:18



READ: Matthew 17:14-21

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.



MESSAGE

As I continue with my discussion on satanic bo***ge today, I will tell you how to deal with willing captives and prevent them from harming you.

Mark 16:17-18 tells us that if a true child of God prays for the deliverance of a slave of the devil, such a slave will be delivered unless the slave refuses God's deliverance, as we saw in the cases of the witches I mentioned yesterday. For willing slaves who do not want to be delivered or have been forcefully delivered but repossessed, one way to compel them to seek deliverance is by putting them in a bo***ge of your own as long as they remain in the service of the devil. I will share an instance of this with you.

Some years ago, a man came to me claiming that his wife was a witch. The wife denied it and said it was his mother who was a witch. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that there was a snake inside her, so I said, "There is no need to quarrel. I will pray that if you are a witch, whatever demon is inside you will be bound. If you are not a witch, nothing will happen. She asked me to say the prayer, as she thought nothing would happen. I did, and they left. A few weeks later, they came back to me. Her stomach had become swollen because the snake inside her had been bound, so it could not go out to defecate. The snake started defecating inside her, which caused her stomach to start swelling. This time, she was more than ready to be delivered.

I must warn, however, that if you want to bind someone who is a willing slave of the devil, you must ensure that you are strong enough spiritually to bind the spirit in them. In today's memory verse, Jesus said that there are some levels of spiritual authority that you need fasting and prayers to operate in. You must fortify yourself spiritually through the spiritual exercise of fasting and prayer to be able to handle some demons. Also, you must ensure that you are not living in disobedience to God's word. 2 Corinthians 10:6 says that except your obedience is complete, you cannot condemn any disobedience. Beloved, ensure that you submit completely to Jesus Christ and be committed to your spiritual growth; this is the only way to fully exercise the authority you have in Christ.



PRAYER POINT

Father, at this moment, I bind every demon operating in any willing victim of the devil around me, in Jesus' name.



BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 5-7



AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: CONQUERORS 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 pow'r can e'er prevail.

*CHORUS:*

Conquerors are we,

Thro' the blood of Jesus,

God will give us victory,

Thro' the blood of Jesus,

Thro' 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 heav'n;

Over yonder he the victor's,

Palm shall bear,

And a robe of white, and golden,

Crown shall wear.

28/01/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28TH 2026


THEME: UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS II


MEMORISE: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Deuteronomy 30:19


READ: Exodus 21:2-6
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.

4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.

5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.


MESSAGE
I have observed over the years that there are two major categories of victims who are entrapped in the devil's bo***ge. The first category are the victims who are not aware that they have been entrapped by the devil, while the second category are those who are fully aware. Within this second category, there are two major sets of people: those who want to be set free and those who do not.

Today, I will be discussing the set of victims who know that they are in bo***ge but do not want to be set free. It may sound strange that some victims do not want to be set free from bo***ge, but from today's Bible reading and my personal experience, many people actually fall into this category.

For example, I have met witches who like the fact that thev are witches and don't want to be set free. I recall a particular incident that occurred years ago. A married couple started attending our church, but after a short while, the wife stopped coming. When we followed up with her, she told us that since she started coming to our church, she had been unable to fly to her witchcraft meetings at night. Since she wanted to continue flying to her meetings, she stopped coming. Deliverance was available to her, but she preferred to be in bo***ge.

In another instance, another woman, who was a witch, came to our church, and we prayed for her to be delivered. When nothing happened, she told us, why are you praying for me to be delivered? This is the power I use to control my husband such that he drives me to my boyfriend's house, waits for me in the car, and when I am done having fun with my boyfriend, he drives me back home. Do you want me to lose that power?" She held on to her bo***ge even though deliverance was available to her.

If God wants to set someone free from bo***ge, but the person does not want to accept His offer, then that they will remain in bo***ge, since that is what the fellow wants. Such a person is a willing captive, and even if the person is forcefully delivered but does not submit to Gou he or she will be recaptured and repossessed again (Matthew 12:43-45).

Tomorrow, I will discuss how you can ensure that a willing slave of the devil is unable to harm you and how you can possibly compel them to seek deliverance.


KEY POINT
Those who are in bo***ge and refuse to accept Jesus' offer of deliverance are at risk of tern al condemnation.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 1-4


AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE


HYMN 28: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

27/01/2026

27/01/2026

OPEN HEAVENS 2026 DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUE, JAN 27, 2026

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS 1

MEMORISE:
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11)

READ: 2 Timothy 2:19-22 (KJV)
19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

22. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

MESSAGE:
Hunters usually use the favourite foods of their targeted animals as bait in the traps set to capture them. Once the animals see the food, they rush towards it, and as they begin to eat it, the traps capture them. This is the same way the devil traps humans; he studies those he wants to trap to find out the things they usually lust after. Then, he provides those things to them on a platter of gold. If they are not discerning, they will get carried away by their lust, and while they are 'enjoying' what the devil has provided, they will suddenly find themselves in bo***ge, and it will take only the grace and mercy of God to bring them out. I will turn 84 years old in a couple of months, and believe me, I have seen many great destinies that have been entrapped and destroyed by the devil with this method. I pray you will never be entrapped by the devil, in Jesus' name.

I have always told my biological and spiritual sons, "If a lady smiles at you seductively, run as fast as you can in another direction." Today's Bible reading says that you should flee youthful lusts. Flee means that you should run as if you are terrified. Don't wait around to see what will happen; just run! Yoruba elders have a saying, "What you must not taste, you should not smell." No matter how sweet poison smells, once you know it is poison, you will not sniff it. Likewise, once you see something that can destroy your destiny, flee!

Some people might say, "I gave in to temptation, but nothing has changed. In fact, things are getting better for me." They should not be deceived; the devil is only doing everything to make them relaxed in the prison he has built for them. When you buy a chicken with the intention of killing it and preparing it for a special occasion, you will likely feed the chicken very well in order to fatten it up. The chicken might think it is enjoying, but you know that you are fattening it until the day it will be slaughtered. This is what the devil does; he ensures that his victims feel relaxed until the day of slaughter because he doesn't want them to seek help. He always collects more from his victims than he gives them.

Beloved, all gifts from the devil have sorrow attached to them; only God's blessings come with no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).

KEY POINT:
Flee youthful lusts.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 38-40

HYMNAL:
HYMN 31 - YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

1. Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you
Some other to win;
Fight manfully onward,
Dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He'll carry you through.

CHORUS:
Ask the Saviour to help you
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.

2. Shun evil companions,
Bad language disdain;
God's name hold in reverence,
Nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest,
Kindhearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus,
He'll carry you through.

3. To him that o'ercometh,
God giveth a crown;
Thro' faith we will conquer,
Though often cast down;
He who is our Saviour,
Our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus,
He'll carry you through.

26/01/2026

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH, 2026
TOPIC: RESTORE BACKSLIDERS

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 1:22-23

BIBLE READING: LUKE 15:1-7 (KJV)
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

MESSAGE:
Do you know anyone who used to be a Christian but has returned to the world? If yes, what have you done to restore such a person back to Christ? You might say that you have once tried unsuccessfully to talk to him or her about returning to Christ; however, have you tried again? Will you allow the fellow to remain on the path to hell just because you don't want him or her to reject your counsel again?
Many years ago, some church members and I followed up on a church member who had backslidden, and thankfully, he returned to Christ. However, after a while, he backslid again and left the church. We did everything we could to get him to return until it got to a point where l said, "I'm tired. I'll leave this man to do whatever he likes." Many years later, I went to preach at the University of Ife. After my ministration, I wanted to return to Lagos, but God told me to travel in the opposite direction. I did not know where God was leading me to until I got to the neighbourhood where this brother lived. It was at that moment that I knew what God wanted me to do. I went to his house, and when I got there, his wife hurried to tell him that I had come to visit them. He did not believe it; he thought she was playing a prank on him until he came out and saw me waiting for him. That visit was all it took for him to return to the faith. He probably said to himself, "If you could still remember me and reach out to me after all these years and all the rejection, then your love for me is real, and I am returning."

Beloved, don't give up on anyone who has backslidden. Keep following up on them prayerfully, and never give up until the Holy Spirit convicts them to return to the faith again. Just one more phone call or visit from you may save such people from spending eternity in hell. Intentionally go after backsliders and restore them to the Lord. In today's memory verse, the Bible talks about having compassion on such people. Keep reaching out to them, and never stop interceding on their behalf until they are restored. Remember, there's a great reward for winning souls, as the Bible says that those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever (Daniel 12:3).

ACTION POINT:
If you know anyone who has backslidden, prayerfully reach out to him or her today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
EXODUS 35-37

HYMN 4: TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD
1 To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.
Refrain:
Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on:
Let us hope, let us watch,
And labor till the Master comes.

2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]

3 To the work! to the work! there is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the name of Jehovah exalted shall be,
In the loud-swelling chorus, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]

4 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward;
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]

25/01/2026

25/01/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY JANUARY 25TH 2026

THEME: TRUE FRUITFULNESS

MEMORISE: Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and make th manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

READ: Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

MESSAGE
When God says you should be fruitful, He is not just talking about you being successful materially and having children; He is also talking about you winning souls.

In John 15:16, Jesus said:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, being fruitful is primarily about leading people to Christ and ensuring that they grow and remain in the faith. A soul won to Christ is a fruit that brings eternal joy to God and also to you. The Bible says in Luke 15:7 that there is so much joy in heaven when a soul is saved from eternal damnation and won into the kingdom of the Almighty God.

God wants us to multiply spiritually. This is why Bible scholars often refer to Matthew 28:18-20 as the Great Commission. Jesus commands us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. To make disciples means to teach others to follow Christ just as you are following Him. This involves preaching the gospel to unbelievers and mentoring other Christians with the word of God to help them grow in their walk with God. God wants you to make disciples; He wants you to reproduce yourself.

Apostle Paul understood this principle and taught it to Timothy. In 2 Timothy 2:2, he said, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. “He instructed Timothy to pass on what he had learned to faithful believers who would teach other believers in turn. This is the multiplication God desires - fruitfulness that extends beyond you to others and continues through generations.

Beloved, the Bible says that a person who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). Are you spiritually fruitful? Are you leading others to Christ? Are you teaching and mentoring others in the faith? Ifyou have not been doing these, it is time to start. Begin with those around you - your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Share the love of God with them and invite them to experience the blessings you enjoy in Christ. When you do all these, you will be truly fruitful, and God will make you shine like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).

REFLECTION
Are you truly being fruitful according to God's standard?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 31-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TO THE WORK, TO THE WORK
1 To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.

Refrain:
Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on:
Let us hope, let us watch,
And labor till the Master comes.

2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, "Salvation is free!"

3 To the work! to the work! there is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the name of Jehovah exalted shall be,
In the loud-swelling chorus, "Salvation is free!"

4 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward;
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, "Salvation is free!"

24/01/2026

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2026.

TOPIC: REACH FOR MORE

MEMORISE
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (Philippians 3:13)

READ: Genesis 26:12-22 (KJV)

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

MESSAGE

Sometimes, some people who appear to have attained a level of success begin to relax in their efforts to advance in their respective fields of endeavour. They feel they are on top of the world because of the success they have achieved. However, no matter how successful or prosperous a person has become, there are always greater levels to attain. This is why I always tell those who are close to me that success is a journey, not a destination.

For example, people who have attained a great level of financial success can be classified as rich or wealthy. The rich have a level of abundance, but truly wealthy people are those who have so much abundance that they don't have to think twice before they buy anything. I once heard of a truly wealthy man who went on a morning walk one day and bought a car factory he saw on his way just because he felt it wasn't well kept. He was so angry at the state of the factory because that was the factory producing the brand of car he rides, so he negotiated with the owners and bought it immediately.

There is, however, a level of success that is greater than just being wealthy; it is a level that Psalm 92:12-14 refers to as 'flourishing'. A flourishing person is described as righteous, planted in the house of the Lord, and fruitful even in old age. People at this level live according to the will of God, meditate on His word day and night, and prosper in all they do (Psalm 1:1-3). Isaac is a good example of someone who flourished in the Bible. God commanded him to stay in Gerar even though, humanly speaking, it didn't seem like the right thing to do. However, he obeyed and flourished in the land (Genesis 26:1-14). He kept prospering until he became great and very great to the extent that the king pleaded with him to leave the kingdom because he had become greater and more prosperous than the entire nation.

Beloved, God desires that you flourish (3 John 1:2). His design and perfect will for you is not only that you become prosperous in everything you do but that you keep flourishing until you leave the earth. This is why Proverbs 4:18 says that the path of the just shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. I encourage you to be like Apostle Paul; forget your past successes and keep reaching for more (Philippians 3:12-14).

KEY POINT
There are always greater levels of success and prosperity to attain.

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Exodus 28 - 30

HYMN 28 - GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH

1. Guide me, 0 Thou Great Jehovah Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful
hand: Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven! Feed me now and evermore (2ce)

2. Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream
doth flow: Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey
through: Song deliverer! Song deliverer! Be Thou still my strength and shield (2ce).

3. If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside: Bear me through the swelling torrent, Land me safe on Canaan's side: Songs of praises! Songs of praises! I will ever give to Thee (2ce).

4. Saviour, come! We long to see thee, long to dwell with thee above and to know in full communion, all the sweetness of Thy love. Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus! Take thy waiting people home (2ce).