26/12/2024
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY DECEMBER 26TH 2024
TOPIC THE REASON FOR HIS BIRTH IV
MEMORISE:
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Romans 8:11
BIBLE READING: MARK 16:14-20
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
MESSAGE
Today, I will be concluding the study on the reason for the birth of Jesus Christ by looking at the impact of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. As I mentioned yesterday, Jesus paved the way for the Holy Spirit to live in believers, and the implication of this is found in John 7:38:
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
In other words, the Scripture above is saying that everyone who is a believer has the Holy Spirit flowing in them, giving them the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and perform all manners of miracles. This means that, if you are a believer, the signs and wonders that Jesus Christ performed will also follow you (Mark 1 6:17), and you will even do greater works ( John 14:12).
When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the veil of the inner chamber in the temple was torn into two (Matthew 27:5 1). This means that the manifest presence of God was no longer the exclusive reserve of the high priest. Every child of God has access to the throne of grace and can do the same things that only the high priest could do in the Old Testament. Don't see ministers of God as the only people who can work miracles; you also can work miracles if the Holy Spirit is abiding within you. John 3:34 tells us that Jesus Christ was given the Holy Spirit without measure as He represents God and speaks His word as He was sent. This implies that the expression of the measure of the Holy Spirit within believers will vary with how well they fulfil the will of God for their lives. If you live holy and make a habit of spending quality time in the presence of God daily, He will keep increasing the measure of the Holy Spirit's expression in your life with evidence of signs and wonders.
Beloved, circumstances around you should not dictate how you should Live your life. You carry the Holy Spirit within you; therefore, you should command situations and circumstances to favor you. The devil is afraid of believers using the power they have in Christ. He can only oppress those who are not exercising the power they have in Christ.
If you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you have a unique advantage because of the power of the Holy Spirit that you carry inside you. Start exercising that power today, and you will see the devil tremble in fear.
ACTION POINT
The next time you find someone who is sick, lay hands on the person and pray for him or her to be
healed.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Revelation 8-11
AUTHOR::
PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 15: 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 a 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?
