Monday 18 March 2013

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTION FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 2013 DOWN, NOT OUT BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Memorise - Romans 8 vs 2 : For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

Read: Romans 7:18-25

Bible in one Year: Hosea 11-14

Going by the personal experience of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:3-8, we see that God gives hope to the hopeless in ways we cannot explain. In any way you have lost hope, the Lord will restore it this season in Jesus name. Another lesson we learn from Elijah who woke from sleep to eat Heaven's freshly baked food is that, to be down does not necessarily mean to be out. In other words, that the devil hit you and you fell flat on your face does not mean that you should give up the fight. When a baby is learning to walk, it will falI several times, yet it continues to make the effort. The fact that you can walk, jog or even run only shows that you overcame those failed attempts you experienced while growing up. Are you presently being defeated by a besetting sin? After you confessed and asked God for forgiveness, you promised never to go back to it, and you sincerely meant it; only for you to find yourself at that same bus stop of sin down the line. With this experience continuing for a while, you might begin to think it is pointless trying to serve God. Are you giving up? Don't! Such situation is not new to believers. Almost every true Christian has gone through that phase.


Can you believe the greatest of apostles went through it? In Romans 7:15, he says,

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would that do I not; but what I hate that do I."

This is a state where there is serious conflict between the old and the new nature, between the flesh and the spirit. It does not mean you have not been saved when you go through this. The devil will tell you all sorts of things. Refuse to believe him. To overcome this phase which is also transient, persevere. If you fall into the sin, don't stay there. Ask God for forgiveness and rise up on your feet again. Never stay down; always find your way back to the Cross, receive cleansing and continue with Christ again. Also, identify that particular area of weakness and begin to pray specifically on it using Romans 6:5-18, personalizing the scriptures. Avoid any individual that will easily take you back to that sin and sever such a relationship. Avoid physical locations, tangible items and even resign any appointment that may keep you a permanent slave of sin. Pray regularly in the spirit asking for His help. Have no idle moments with your time fully engaged in what glorifies God.

Key Point : if the Lord Jesus Christ could still commission Peter to continue from where He stopped, after three terrible denials, no matter how low you have fallen God can return you to His original plan for your life and use you.

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