The is RCCG Open Heaven August 2023 Devotional. It contains all open heavens daily devotional from 1-31 August 2023.
The open heaven daily devotional is written by Pastor. E.A. Adeboye, General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God.
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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 1 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: BRIGHTER DAYS ARE AHEAD
MEMORISE: Proverbs 4:18 (KJV)
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Samuel 2:7-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 1 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
It doesn’t matter how low you are now, there is still hope for a great future.
I have seen God lift people from the miry clay and take them to the mountain top.
Believe it or not, He will do the same for you in Jesus’ name.
My story is proof of this; I walked barefoot for the first eighteen years of my life.
I can never forget my final year in grammar school. Prize-Giving day was coming up and I was supposed to take home many prizes.
Those of us in our final year were to wear white trousers and shoes but I had no trousers – white, black or red.
As for shoes, I had never owned one. I started lamenting, “God, you know I have no trousers; why did You allow me to win these prizes?”
One day, a boy in the hostel asked me to help him choose which of his six trousers he should wear for the ceremony.
I helped him choose one and then said, “Ermm, you know I don’t even have one to wear”.
“Pick one,” he offered.
Although the trouser was so big that I nearly had to pull the waistband up to my chest, I didn’t care; trousers were trousers.
Now, the next problem was shoes. It was then I remembered that I had a poor uncle somewhere who had some shoes.
The pair he gave me was old, with soles made from old lorry tires.
I had to practice walking in them because I had never worn shoes before in my life.
However, when the Prize-Giving day finally came, I had trousers and shoes to wear to the occasion.
Even if your current situation is worse than what I have just described, I assure you that the Lord who lifted me up can do the same for you.
Greater days are coming, if you trust God and lay all in His hands.
I must say that God did not raise me just because He felt like doing so; He did it to show forth His own glory.
He said when your light shines before men, it is so that they can glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
If you dedicate your life to glorifying Him and are never shy to give Him glory for whatever you achieve, He will raise you, even higher than you can ever imagine.
Greater days are ahead of you, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 1 AUGUST 2023 ACTION POINT
Anyone who is willing to glorify God with his or her life will experience divine lifting.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 60-63
RCCG HYMN 14: O What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 2 AUGUST 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FOR HIS GLORY
MEMORISE: 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV)
Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
BIBLE TEXT: James 4:1-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 2 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Whenever you ask God for anything, make sure that it is something that will bring glory to His name.
Don’t ask for things that would serve just you, but that would also be useful to Him.
If you want to win an election, you should tell Him how you would use your position to glorify His name.
That is the kind of prayer that gets His attention
God can decide to ignore you if you choose to bombard Him with requests.
However, if you come to Him telling Him how you plan to advance His kingdom here on earth with the miracle you are asking for, He will pay attention to you.
Hannah understood this principle, so she prayed thus:
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1 Samuel 1:11
God granted her request by giving her a son who grew to become a great prophet and then gave her five more children.
Seek to glorify God first and you will see Him giving you more than you asked for.
He knew your needs before you came to Him (Matthew 6:8); so, give Him an offer He cannot refuse, and you will see Him supplying your needs in abundance.
You may say, “God loves me, and believe He will give me whatever I want”.
No doubt, He loves you, but He has a purpose for everything He does.
You may have thought that God drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea just because He loves the Israelites, but Romans 9:17 says:
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
The real reason God destroyed Pharaoh was to declare His glory and majesty throughout the earth.
God’s agenda is always superior to ours; if you align your with His, then you will get what you want.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 2 AUGUST 2023 KEY POINT
Align your agenda with God’s purpose and you will never lack again.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 64-66
RCCG HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 3 AUGUST 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: INTEGRITY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 20:7 (KJV)
The just man walketh in his integrity, his children are blessed after him.
BIBLE TEXT: Proverbs 28:6-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 3 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Simply put, integrity is being true to your word – that is, what you say is consistent with what you do.
Everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian must be a person of integrity.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:37)
When you promise to do something, that is what you should do.
If for any reason you cannot fulfil your promise, you must discuss it with the fellow involved and explain the circumstances.
You shouldn’t go back on a promise without any explanation – that is not like your Father in Heaven, whom you claim to be like.
I remember when I had just finished secondary school and was looking for a way to sponsor my university education.
I approached the authorities of a school in Ondo State, and they agreed to sponsor my education on the condition that I would study Mathematics and serve them for five years after getting my degree.
Although English was my favourite subject, I had no choice.
When I graduated, I went back to serve them, but after two and a half years, I became restless: I wanted a master’s degree.
After gaining admission to do my Masters, I appealed to them to let me go for it, assuring them that I would return to finish my bond.
They didn’t believe me, but after obtaining the degree, I returned to the school to continue serving them.
By then, however, I was becoming an embarrassment to them because I had a higher degree than my principal.
After another one and a half years, I appealed to them to allow me to get a Ph. D and return, but they said, “You are free to go, and you don’t have to come back”.
The name of Jesus is powerful – so powerful that Philippians 2:10-11 says that at the mention of that name, every knee in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
As powerful as His name is, the Bible says He magnifies His word above it (Psalm 138:2).
This is why we trust completely in the word of God – we know that He can and will do what He says He will
If you say you are Christ-like then your word must be your bond.
KEY POINT
Jesus always keeps His word; you should always keep yours, too.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 1-3
RCCG HYMN 20: Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 4 AUGUST 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
MEMORISE: Leviticus 19:16 (KJV)
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.
BIBLE TEXT: Leviticus 19:15-18
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 4 AUGUST 2023 PRAYERS
1. Father, thank You for the people, the schools, the churches and everything You have planted in my community
2. Father, please bless all families in my community. Strengthen all marriages, and let all children be taught in Your way.
3. Father, please let there be unity amongst the people in my community, in Jesus’ name.
4. Father, please let Your presence be in all learning institutions in my community, in Jesus’
name.
5. Father, please help all the Christians in my community represent You according to Your will, in Jesus’ name.
6. Lord, please help all leaders in my community lead according to Your will, in Jesus’ name.
7. Father, please let everyone in this community have an encounter with You, in Jesus’ name.
8. Father, please let there be great developments and progress in my community, in Jesus’ name.
9. Father, please put an end to every form of evil in my community, in Jesus’ name.
10. Father, please drive away every form of disease from my community, in Jesus’ name.
11. Father, please put an end to every unrest and dispute within my community and between my community and neighbouring ones, in Jesus’ name.
12. Your special prayer request for your community.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 4-5
RCCG HYMN 22: Sweet Hour Of Prayer
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 5 AUGUST 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: INCREASE YOUR SPIRITUAL CAPACITY I
MEMORISE: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
BIBLE TEXT: James 4:7-8
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 5 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Many people say that the spiritual controls the physical and this is very true; however, many don’t take advantage of this knowledge.
It is time to start increasing your capacity in the spirit so that you can begin to control things in the physical.
The stronger you become in the spirit, the stronger you will be in the physical.
If you don’t believe me, read 2 Kings 1:9 and then compare it to 2 Kings 6:14-15.
When the king wanted to arrest Elijah, he sent 50 soldiers and their captain, but when Elisha was to be arrested, the king sent an entire army.
Elisha had a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, so in the physical, he was also stronger than Elijah.
The deeper you go in the spirit, the higher you fly in the physical.
The people of the world seem to understand this better than most Christians.
If an idol worshipper is to be given a position, he must complete some rituals first.
Many shallow Christians today go to the world and try to compete with these same people for such positions.
Everyone knows that the higher the building will be, the deeper its foundation must also be.
You must begin to study your Bible, pray and fast more if you really want to excel in life. The deeper you go, the higher you fly.
Many have read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but only a few have learnt deep things about spiritual dealings from the word of God.
Many have read Proverbs 6:26 but when they are being seduced by a woman, they can’t discern that there is an agenda in the spirit realm to destroy them.
This is why there are many Christians falling prey to the tricks of the devil today because they don’t understand how he operates and what to do to defeat him.
If you want to become a millionaire, you will contend with the demons that contend with millionaires.
God will not take you to a level that your spiritual capacity cannot handle; if He does, then He is setting you up for defeat.
Increase your spiritual capacity and you will see Him raise you higher until your physical dominance matches your spiritual capacity.
KEY POINT
If you can rule in the spirit, you will definitely rule in the physical.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 6-8
RCCG HYMN 12: Onward Christian Soldiers!
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 6 AUGUST 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: INCREASE YOUR SPIRITUAL CAPACITY II
MEMORISE: Galatians 5:17 (KJV)
For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
BIBLE TEXT: Romans 8:1-13
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 6 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
We learnt yesterday about the importance of increasing spiritual capacity and a bit about how to go about this.
Today, we would go a bit deeper in discussing how to increase our spiritual capacity.
The main goal in increasing our spiritual capacity is to be more spiritually minded; to be more like Jesus and less like our default human
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8:7
The first thing you must do is to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, be baptized by immersion, signifying your death to the flesh and a new life in Jesus.
After this, you seek to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and invite Him to dwell in you and take control of your life.
Once the above steps are taken, you must begin to do less of the things your flesh wants you to do.
Don’t let your flesh control you.
You cannot be spending all your free time on social media, attending parties, or eating as often as you like.
If you give your flesh everything it asks for, you will remain under its control and this can only lead to eternal damnation.
Paul said in Acts 17:28 that it is in Jesus that we believers live, move and have our being.
That must be your testimony too.
You also need the Holy Spirit to keep the flesh under control. You are not strong enough to deal with the flesh by yourself (Romans 8:13).
To continue to grow your spiritual capacity, you must truly pray without ceasing, as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says.
If you are not willing to pray consistently and fervently at all times, you are not yet willing to increase your spiritual capacity.
When you cannot pray in understanding, switch to praying in the Spirit.
Fasting and studying the word of God daily must also become your lifestyle (Jeremiah 15:16).
You must also seek to hear God at all times. Ask Him questions about things you don’t understand in the Scriptures.
These steps may appear simple and straight forward, but many people find it difficult to do them consistently.
REFLECTION
Are you increasing your spiritual capacity?
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 9-11
RCCG HYMN 10: In Christ Alone
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 7 AUGUST 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: INTERCEDE I
MEMORISE: 1 Timothy 2:1 (KJV)
I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men.
BIBLE TEXT: Exodus 32:9-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 7 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Intercession is an assignment for every true child of God. Intercessors are people who carry the burdens of God.
They pray the prayers God wants them to, not just their own prayers.
When God needs something done on earth, He looks for intercessors to partner with. He looks for a man to stand in the gap for others.
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Ezekiel 22:30
Remember when God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 – it was clear that God was looking for someone to stand in the gap for the people of Sodom.
You will see that God agreed to every plea Abraham made for the people.
God always looks for someone to stand in the gap for others; when He looks your way, will He find you to be an intercessor?
You may ask, “Why can’t God just reveal to the fellow who is about to get into trouble so he can pray for himself?”
The truth is, sometimes, God needs someone else to pray for other people, so they are not destroyed.
At such times, He puts it in the heart of an intercessor to stand in the gap in prayers.
This is clearly illustrated in the case of Job and his friends (Job 42:8).
Many people are perishing today because there is a shortage of intercessors willing to carry the burdens of God in the place of prayer.
Enough of praying for yourself alone. Don’t be a selfish Christian.
When you pray, let God put into your heart what or who you should pray for.
If He lays in your heart to pray for another country that is not yours, don’t say, “What is my business with those people?”
Pray as He has laid in your heart so that at least one person there can be saved.
Sometimes He will ask you to pray for one fellow; do so, because your prayer may be what would make the difference between the fellow living or dying.
God is seeking intercessors; will He find you?
ACTION POINT
Commit to becoming an intercessor today.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 12-14
RCCG HYMN 22: Sweet Hour Of Prayer
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 8 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: INTERCEDE II
MEMORISE: Matthew 6:10 (KJV)
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
BIBLE TEXT: Isaiah 62:1-7
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 8 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God doesn’t only need intercessors; He only needs people who will pray for others, He also needs people to enforce His will on earth.
For example, when elections are coming up in your state or country, you and other Christians in that vicinity should come together and pray fervently that only the will of God would stand.
You must pray these kinds of prayers not only during elections but all the time.
The Lord said in Isaiah 62:1: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”
When you hear of or know someone working especially hard for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth, you should begin to pray for that fellow.
Your prayer and fasting for that person will be very instrumental in their success and you will also be a part of that success.
In Esther 4:15-17, when Esther was going to turn around the evil policy that sought to kill the Israelites, she asked that everyone on her team should fast and pray for her.
That is why she received so much favour from the king, so that he quickly ordered the death of his well-trusted right-hand man who had generated the said evil policy.
We need to pray for our leaders. They may not tell you, but they face a lot of battles from the devil and need your prayers to win these battles.
Pastors are included in this group; you must pray for pastors and ministers of the gospel if you want the Kingdom of God to continue to win against the devil.
Lastly, Matthew 5:44 says you should pray for people who despise and persecute you:
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Can you pray for people who are about to kill you?
That is what Stephen did in Acts 7:60 and we see the result in Acts 8:1-8 when Jesus came Himself to witness to Saul, who later became one of the greatest Apostles of his time.
Pray for those doing evil too, for them to encounter God and they may be some of the greatest vessels of the Lord in their time.
PRAYER POINT
Spend some time praying for your country, your state, and the people you know in the different categories discussed in today’s message.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 15-17
RCCG HYMN 3: Ancient Words
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 9 AUGUST 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: BENEFITS OF INTERCESSION
MEMORISE: Ezekiel 22:30 (KJV)
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 9:1-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 9 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The greatest benefit of intercession is that God draws you closer to Himself. He tells you His next move because He needs you to intercede concerning it.
When you are an intecessor, you get close to God that you feel His heartbeat. You share in His very burden for the souls of men.
God sees intercessors just like He sees Jesus because He is the number one intercessor. 1 John 2:1 says He is always with the Father, advocating for us.
Intercessors carry a strong burden for the souls of men, just like Jesus did when He laid down His life for mankind.
Moses – a true intercessor, illustrated how much he carried this burden in Exodus 32:31-32:
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
He asked God to forgive the people of Israel or remove his name from the Book of Life. That is how much the burden of the souls of men is on intercessors.
That is why intercessors are in the same department as Jesus Christ.
Jesus is their Head of Department and whatever prayer comes from that department is seen by God as coming from Jesus Christ Himself.
Solomon cared about the people of God more than he did about himself.
That is why, when he only asked for wisdom to lead the people right, God decided to bless him far beyond his expectations.
Intercessors hardly have personal prayer points because before their needs arise, God has already resolved them.
Real intercessors don’t intercede just for their own benefit. Intercession is borne out of love and passion for the souls of men.
Like Daniel in Daniel 9:1-19, when an intercessor sees the promise of God not being fulfilled in the life of a person or nation, he or she would begin to pray concerning that situation.
He or she would keep reminding God of that promise until it is fulfilled, just to ensure that God’s will is established and that the souls of men are preserved from danger.
KEY POINT
True intercessors carry a burden for the souls of men and in turn, God carries their burdens Himself.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 18-21
RCCG HYMN 31: Wonderful Story Of Love
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 10 AUGUST 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
MEMORISE: Jude 1:20 (KJV)
But ye beloved, building up yourself in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
BIBLE TEXT: Ephesians 6:18-20
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 10 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
When I was a younger Christian, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which says, “Pray without ceasing” used to baffle me until the Lord explained it to me.
I used to wonder how it was possible to pray without ceasing. What would I be saying?
The Lord then let me know that the only way I could pray without ceasing was to do so in the Spirit.
This implies that God expects every believer to pray in the Spirit all day.
Believe me honestly, you don’t know all you truly need.
Even if you argue that you know all that you need at this moment, do you know what will happen in the next two hours?
If you don’t know what will happen, then, how will you pray about it? That is why you have the Holy Spirit to pray those prayers through you.
You ask for what you want with your words; the Holy Spirit will help you ask for what you ought to have when you pray in tongues.
Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot pray correctly. Romans 8:26 affirms this:
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Ephesians 5:18 says further:
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
Alcoholics will tell you that they are always craving more and more alcohol. That is how you should become addicted to praying in the Spirit.
The more you pray in the Spirit, the more filled you would be. You would realise that it is difficult to stop praying sometimes.
As you pray, you get more and more engulfed in the Spirit and before you know it, everything you do would be influenced by Him.
Galatians 5:17 says that the flesh and the Spirit are always at war.
The more you pray in the Spirit, the more energized your spirit man would be to win that war against the flesh, so it becomes to put it under (1 Corinthians 9:27).
You would begin to long for things of the Spirit rather than those of the flesh.
ACTION POINT
Pray in the Spirit always.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 22-24
RCCG HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 11 AUGUST 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: WHY GOD MAY BE SILENT
MEMORISE: Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)
For I know the thoughts I think towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end.
BIBLE TEXT: John 5:1-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 11 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Several years ago, when I was a very young preacher, there was a good campground in Nigeria called the ‘Youth Camp’.
We would often go there for retreats. One day while we were there for a retreat, the owners told me they wanted to sell the place for ₦100,000.
We had nothing close to that kind of money then, but I had faith that God would buy the place for us.
I gathered my people together and we prayed round the camp, confessing that it was already ours in line with the word of God in Joshua 1:3- “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you”.
Later on, when the owners saw that we were not forthcoming with the money, they sold it to a bigger ministry.
We were devastated. We turned to God, “But Lord, we prayed, we used Your word”.
All through, He remained silent. He remained silent because He had something bigger in store for us.
He knew that forty acres of land would be too small for where He was taking us.
By God’s grace, the auditorium we now call the Old Auditorium sits on over forty acres of land. Our new auditorium is now 3 kilometres by 3 kilometres.
If you have prayed, praised God, and are sure of your faith, but God remains silent, it is likely because He has something bigger in store for you than what you are asking for.
He is a God who takes pleasure in exceeding His children’s expectations.
The Bible says in Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
In our Bible reading for today, the man at the pool of Bethesda was explaining his predicament to Jesus, hoping that He would help him get into the water.
Jesus however ignored him and gave him something greater.
This is the case many times when you are praying and it looks like God is ignoring you; He may just be preparing something greater for you.
Don’t give up hope; trust Him. Isaiah 55:8-9 says:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
KEY POINT
When you have done everything right on your end and God is silent, He is most likely preparing something for you.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 25-27
RCCG HYMN 5: Blessed Assurance
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 12 AUGUST 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE WHISPER OF GOD
MEMORISE: 1 Kings 19:12 (KJV)
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a small voice.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 19:9-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 12 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
In John 13:21-30, during the Last Supper, Jesus said someone was going to betray Him and Peter made John the Beloved ask Jesus who the person was.
John asked and Jesus responded in a whisper that only John could hear.
In one of our Holy Ghost Services, God said, “All my sheep hear my voice, but very few hear my whisper”.
There is a difference between when God speaks and when He whispers.
When you hear God’s whisper, you will be several steps ahead of your colleagues. You will become number one in whatever you have set out to do.
I pray that you will begin to hear God’s whisper from today, in Jesus’ name.
To hear God’s whisper, you must be closer to Him than everyone else.
Before John heard Jesus’ whisper, the Bible tells us in John 13:25 the position he took: “He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?”
You cannot be closer to a person than the fellow lying on his or her chest. That is the position that you must take.
You must get so close to God that you can practically hear His heartbeat.
Only a few people are as close to God as this and you will see that they are addicted soul-winners because God’s heart beats for the souls of men.
The good thing is that God is willing to bring you very close to Him. He said in James 4:8:
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
The question however is, are you willing to draw near to Him and if so, how closely?
Every time you sin, a distance is created between you and God (Isaiah 59:1-2, Psalm 66:18).
The first thing you, therefore, need to do to get close enough to God to hear His whisper is to be holy.
Once you are holy, God will begin to tell you things that are for your ears only.
Do you want to hear God’s whispers and become a custodian of divine secrets? Draw closer to Him in holiness, soul-winning, and fellowship today.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please let me begin to hear your whispers from today, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 28-30
RCCG HYMN 30: When We Walk With The Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 AUGUST 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: WHEN GOD ASKS A QUESTION
MEMORISE: Job 38:1-3 (KJV)
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said; Who is this that darkeneth counsel without words? Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.:
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 19:9-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
In our Bible reading for today, God asked Elijah the same question twice: “What doest thou here, Elijah?”
God is not a talkative; if He asks the same question twice, there must be a reason behind it.
Usually, when God asks you a question, it is a test.
In John 6:5-7, when Jesus saw the crowd, He turned and asked one of the disciples where they would find food to feed the people.
The Bible added that the question was to test him, for He already knew what He would do.
The teacher knows the answer; He only tests the student when He asks a question.
In Genesis 3:1-7, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and hid behind a tree, God had already seen them. Yet He asked, “Adam, where art thou?”
When Adam said “We heard Your voice and were afraid because we were naked”.
He asked further, “Who told you that you’re naked?” He knew already, but still He asked to see what they would say.
Unfortunately, they were pushing the blame and so they got the punishment they deserved.
In Genesis 4:3-10, God asked Cain where Abel was. When Cain said he didn’t know, God responded, “His blood is crying to me from where you killed and buried him”.
God knew where Abel was from the onset, yet He asked Cain where he was and sadly, Cain never told the truth.
When God asks you a question, especially concerning a sin that you committed, fall on your face and beg for mercy.
That question is a test to see if you are really repentant or not.
If, on the other hand, He asks you a question that is not pertaining to a sin you committed, my advice is that you ask the Holy Spirit to help you answer.
In our Bible reading for today, God asked Elijah the same question twice and he gave the same answer both times.
I believe God asked the second time because He had hoped Elijah would answer differently.
I feel that if Elijah had not answered the questions with frustration, he wouldn’t have been asked to anoint his replacement yet.
In Ezekiel 37:3, Ezekiel was wise. God asked Him, “Can these bones live?” He did not know how to so he “You know, Lord”.
God’s questions are tests; ask the Holy Spirit to help you answer them when they come.
KEY POINT
When God asks you a question, He knows the answer already; He is just testing you to see if you are ready for a promotion.
RCCG HYMN 4: Be Glad In The Lord And Rejoice
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 14 AUGUST 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: JESUS OUR TEACHER
MEMORISE: 2 John 1:9 (KJV)
Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God, he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son.
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 7:24-28
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 14 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
John 3:1-2 tells us clearly that Jesus was a teacher.
It may amaze you that throughout His ministry on earth, nobody ever called Him Evangelist or Prophet or Pastor; they kept calling Him “Teacher”
Everywhere Jesus went, He went teaching, including by the seaside (Mark 2:13).
Jesus is a teacher and likes to relate with us as such; this is good news because the teacher is held responsible for the success or failure of a student.
If the teacher can then prove that the student failed because he or she refused to obey instructions, then the teacher is relieved of that responsibility.
You see this clearly when Jesus gave His report at the end of His time on earth in John 17:12.
He said: “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Thus if you listen to all Jesus’ instructions and obey Him, He will definitely help you make it to heaven at the end of time.
After Jesus resurrected from the dead, His role advanced from teacher to Teacher of teachers.
This is why, in John 20:16, Mary Magdalene called Him ‘Rabboni”, a special title used to honour great teachers.
For those of us who are teachers of the gospel, James 3:1 says that we would receive greater condemnation on the last day if our works are found wanting.
Of course, this is because such people are responsible for the souls of men that the Almighty God allocates to them.
The good news, however, is that we have a Teacher who will teach us how to pass this great test on the last day.
He is always there to teach you how to succeed in whatever assignment He commits into your hands.
That is why I have always told my children not to get so busy with ministry that they lose connection with the Teacher of teachers.
Believe me honestly, without Him, you cannot do ministry right. You cannot be snatching souls from the devil’s kingdom and expect him to be soft on you.
He will deploy many tactics to bring you down, but if you remain connected to the Teacher of teachers, you will win in the end.
Stay connected to the Teacher of teachers.
PRAYER POINT
Teacher of teachers, please teach me what to do to make it to heaven at the end.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 33-36
RCCG HYMN 9: Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 15 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT I
MEMORISE: John 9:5 (KJV)
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 John 1:5-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 15 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
There are certain things in life that are very difficult to define.
One of such things is light.
If someone asks you, “What is light?”, you may simply say it is the opposite of darkness.
However, to understand light, you need to understand what darkness stands for.
Our case study for this series will be Bartimaeus – a blind man who met Jesus and the darkness in his life ended.
When you look at Mark 10:46-52, you will see some of the things that darkness portrays and thus identify certain things hidden in light.
For example, darkness equals sickness.
If darkness signifies sickness, then light signifies healing which is embedded in Jesus Christ the Light of the world (Exodus 15:26).
When you have a relationship with Jesus, sickness cannot continue to stay in your life.
It is no news that darkness and the devil go hand in hand.
When you look at Luke 13:11-17, you will see clearly that Jesus Christ called the spirit of infirmity an agent of the devil.
Sickness and disease, therefore, have their origin in darkness. However, the light of God can see forces of darkness and deal with them completely.
There was a brother who was going to the USA for further studies and he threw a party before his departure.
In the middle of this party, an enemy came and planted something evil into his life.
From the day he arrived in the USA, he began to feel a pain in his stomach. All kinds of tests were conducted to no avail, yet the pain intensified.
He struggled for six years, taking all manner of drugs until he finished his studies.
When he returned to Nigeria, he heard that we were having a programme at Ibadan and decided to travel all the way from Zaria.
The devil did everything to stop him but he finally made it on the last day of the programme.
During the last message, he sat down and as the word of God was coming forth, the light of God hit him and suddenly, he began to shout, “I am free” because the pain of more than six years had disappeared.
I prophesy to you: It doesn’t matter how long you have been carrying sickness or disease; Daddy will chase it out today, in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please chase out every form of darkness in my life now, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 37-39
RCCG HYMN 1: All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 16 AUGUST 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT II
MEMORISE: Proverbs 4:18 (KJV)
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth the more and more unto the perfect day.
BIBLE TEXT: Isaiah 58:8-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 16 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Another symptom of darkness is poverty. Bartimaeus was not just blind, he was also poor.
The Bible recorded that he was a blind beggar. Any situation that involves begging to eat is called poverty.
The Almighty God’s plan is not for you to be a beggar, but rather that you would prosper.
For several years, the enemy kept the Church in darkness and pastors began to equate holiness with poverty.
The devil knows that you can spread the gospel faster if you have money.
I don’t know about you, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I am going to prosper because light stands for prosperity.
Darkness works to make you poor, but it is the duty of the Light to make you rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says clearly:
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
He became poor that you, through His poverty, might become rich.
If you are truly a child of God, carrying the Light of the Almighty within you, I have good news for you: all those who have been saying that you are going to die poor shall be disappointed.
3 John 2 says He wishes above all things that you would prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.
If God wishes that you prosper as long as your soul is prospering, it doesn’t matter what the devil may be planning – you will be prosperous.
There was a very wealthy man who quarreled with his wife. She said to him, “I will see to it that you trek in this Lagos”.
This man was so wealthy that he had more than 14 cars, so he just laughed the threat off.
However, by the day this man came to our Church for the first time, he had only one car left and 50 kobo with him.
He wanted to buy food with the money but knew that if he did, he would end up walking home like his wife had said, so he decided to just buy fuel.
When he came to the Light, the tide turned in his favour. The day he gave his testimony, he was dedicating two new houses.
God can take you from abject poverty to affluence if you give your life to Him and live holy.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please let Your light send the darkness of poverty far away from me, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 40-43
RCCG HYMN 2: Amazing Grace
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 17 AUGUST 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT III
MEMORISE: Psalm 68:6 (KJV)
God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound in chains but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 23:1-6
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 17 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
From Bartimaeus’ story in Mark 10:46-52, we see that he called on Jesus for help, some people told him to shut up. He had not offended them, yet they hated him.
This is however not surprising because darkness also stands for hatred while light represents love.
Proverbs 14:20 says the poor is hated even by his own neighbours.
Darkness goes hand in hand with poverty and poverty leads to hatred. People can hate you just because you are poor.
Thank God light stands for love. Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors because of the One who loved us.
When you come in contact with The Light, your victory is guaranteed. It doesn’t matter how many people hate you; if Jesus is on your side, you will be a winner.
You would notice that, when Bartimaeus was crying for help, not a single person encouraged him until the Light of the world called for him.
Bartimaeus was a lonely man. There is a direct link between darkness and loneliness.
In Psalm 121:5, the Bible says the Lord is your shade upon your right hand. This means God is always with you.
If you come in contact with the Light of the world, you can never be lonely again.
There are many people who are rich and successful in their endeavours, yet lonely. This is because they have not come in contact with the Light of the world.
Bartimaeus’ loneliness ended the day he met Jesus because he instantly became a celebrity and we are still talking about him today.
Light drives away loneliness while darkness embraces it.
Many times, loneliness is a result of works of darkness. It is the Light who made the statement in Genesis 2:18 that it is not good that man should be alone.
Years ago, a mother came to me and said she needed help. She had four daughters – the youngest of whom was 28 years old, yet they were all single.
As I was about to pray, the Lord told me to ask some questions and I discovered there was a demon in their family who had laid claim to the girls.
This demon was the one preventing them from getting married. We prayed and God gave us victory over the evil covenant. Within a year, all four of them were married.
Any evil covenant you have entered into that may be stopping you from moving to the next level will be destroyed by the Light today, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
When you meet the Light, loneliness becomes a thing of the past.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 44-46
RCCG HYMN 6: I Am So Glad That Our Father In Heav’n
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 18 AUGUST 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT IV
MEMORISE: Leviticus 26:9 (KJV)
For I will have respect unto you and make you fruitful and multiply you and establish my covenant with you.
BIBLE TEXT: Genesis 1:26-31
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 18 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Darkness is linked with barrenness. This implies that light is equivalent to fruitfulness.
When you study the Scriptures, you will see that God is interested in your fruitfulness.
The very first commandment He gave to man is “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).
In Exodus 23:26, the Almighty God said clearly: “There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil”.
I am decreeing, that if you are trusting God for the fruit of the womb, you will carry your own twins soon, in Jesus’ name.
There are some cases of barrenness where the doctor cannot see anything wrong with the couple because the devil is at work.
A woman’s mother-in-law once visited her house and said, “My daughter, eat this bread and use it to block your womb”.
The girl ate it, not taking the woman’s words seriously. From that day, she stopped menstruating for several years.
Thank God we held a programme in her town that ran for some days. One afternoon during the programme, she slept and had a dream.
In the dream, some people dressed like medical doctors laid her on the table, opened up her belly and began to pull out a rope.
The rope was very long, and at the end of the rope was a very black piece of bread. By the time she woke, she saw that the bed was wet with her menstrual flow.
The last time I heard from her, she already had 5 children. Whatever darkness has used to stop your fruitfulness – whether it is in child-bearing or otherwise, the Light will deal with it.
Some people asked me not too long ago, “Why are you against same-sex marriage?” I asked in turn, “How will two men or two women produce a child?”
They mentioned adoption, but who is going to produce the child they are going to adopt?
If we all adopt this lifestyle, the human race would become extinct in less than a hundred years.
I told them, “The devil is a liar”. I don’t care what people or organisations say, I will stand by the truth.
The word of God is clear: “Be fruitful and multiply”.
Anyone trying to do anything that disobeys that instruction is disobeying God Himself.
PRAYER POINT
Father, as You have commanded me to be fruitful, my body and all that concerns me will obey that command and bear fruit, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 47-48
RCCG HYMN 23: Take My Life And Let It Be
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 19 AUGUST 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT V
MEMORISE: 1 Samuel 2:6 (KJV)
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifted up the beggar from the dung hill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s and he hath set the world upon them.
BIBLE TEXT: Nehemiah 4:1-15
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 19 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
From the story of Bartimaeus, we can see that darkness and stagnation go hand in hand.
Bartimaeus must have been on that same spot begging since he became blind.
Since stagnation is linked to darkness, this means that light stands for progress and promotion. Psalm 75:6-7 says:
For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
1 Samuel 2:8 tells us that God can pick up a beggar from a dunghill and keep promoting him until he is standing with princes.
If you notice that you seem to have been in the same position for years now, then it is likely that you are in darkness. You need to connect to the Light now, so that you can make real progress.
Stagnation is primarily caused by forces of darkness. The devil fights progress.
That is why when Nehemiah was trying to rebuild the city walls, the devil raised many enemies to stop the work.
One fellow was talking to me some years ago; he said, “I don’t know what’s happening; it seems as if my enemies are increasing”.
I said, “Tell me a little bit about how things have been with you in the past couple of years”. He said everything had been good; whatever he touched had been prospering.
I said, “That is the reason”. There are those who love it when you come to them to beg for food, but the moment you begin to make progress, hatred comes.
Darkness does not want you to progress, but thank God light stands for promotion.
There was a man who had been on one spot for many years. During one of our programmes, God spoke to me and I announced, “There is someone here; somebody close to you will die next week. Don’t be sad because, after the death, your promotion will come”.
The following week, his father died, but before the man passed on, he confessed that he had said, “How can my son be greater than 1?”, so he decided to use diabolical powers to make the boy stagnant.
Almost immediately after the father died, the promotion of the young man began.
Anyone sitting on your promotion and refusing to stand will be uprooted by the Almighty God, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, destroy anything that has hindered my promotion so far and lift me high, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 49
RCCG HYMN 26: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 20 AUGUST 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT VI
MEMORISE: John 12:46 (KJV)
I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 126:1-3
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 20 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
From the story of Bartimaeus, we learn that darkness and sorrow go hand in hand.
You don’t have to understand philosophy to know that a blind beggar must have been sad.
I pray for you: Your eyes will never grow dim, in Jesus’ name.
Darkness and sorrow go hand in hand, which means light brings joy.
Psalm 16:11 says: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Our Bible reading for today says that when the Lord turned around the people’s captivity, their mouths were filled with laughter.
That is the nature of Light; He brings laughter. Light stands for joy (John 16:24).
There was this woman whose children were dying so she visited a white garment prophet for a solution.
When she got there, the man’s wife gave her a piece of kolanut to eat, claiming that was the solution to her problem. She ate it and at night, found herself in a witchcraft meeting.
Before long, she had offered up her husband. After about two years, the other witches asked for one of her children – the very children she wanted to protect.
She attended one of our programmes in Ilorin and while I was preaching, I noticed a commotion in the congregation.
After the service, the ushers told me that the woman’s dress caught fire during the preaching.
We prayed a simple prayer after which she gave her life to Christ and when she went home, she excreted a dead snake. She was free from that day on.
Darkness does not give joy, all it has to offer is sorrow. Proverbs 10:22 says it is only the blessings of God that maketh rich and addeth no sorrow. If the devil is offering you something that seems good, you will not fall for it, in Jesus’ name.
If you are truly a child of Light, how can you stay away from Jesus – the Light of the world?
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
If you remain in darkness, you will keep suffering, but when you turn to Jesus Christ, He gives you a new beginning and turns the tide for you.
If you really want to be in the Light, then you should begin to live holy from today.
KEY POINT
If the devil is offering you something that seems good, that thing is only a bait; his real aim is to bring you sorrow.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 50
RCCG HYMN 4: Be Glad In The Lord And Rejoice
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 AUGUST 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: WHEN GOD CALLS YOU I
MEMORISE: Ephesians 4:1 (KJV)
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
BIBLE TEXT: 2 Peter 1:1-11
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The call of God is actually a call to God. It isn’t a call to something but a call to Himself.
When He calls you, He is saying, “Come closer to me”.
In Mark 3:14, the Bible says that the first reason He called the disciples was that they should be with Him.
The call of God is two-fold. First, He can call you to leave your sinful ways (Matthew 11:28). This is the very first call that every man will receive.
It is a call that brings you close and guarantees an eternity with Him if you answer.
Thus, when you hear an altar call, it is God Himself calling you to salvation. If you are still committing sin, this is one call that you should not ignore.
You don’t know the final call that God will make for you to come to Him for salvation.
Many have received God’s call to salvation but then, after a while, started to live in sin again. That is not how this call works (Luke 9:62).
If you sincerely answer the call to salvation, then holiness would be your lifestyle.
If you become saved and then start living a double life where you sin willfully, the Bible says that God would spew you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16) – in other words, He would reject you completely.
2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
If you claim to be a child of God, then you must depart from all iniquity. If you don’t depart from iniquity, then God would not recognise you as His child.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
1 Peter 2:9
Once God calls you out of darkness into His marvelous light, you are described as a holy nation – not an unholy one.
Be perfect, even as the One who called you is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
KEY POINT
God’s call to salvation is a call to holiness. If you don’t live holy, you are rejecting the call.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 51-52
RCCG HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 22 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: WHEN GOD CALLS YOU II
MEMORISE: 2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV)
Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Peter 4:7-11
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 22 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
After God has called you to salvation, the next call is to join Him in redeeming the world.
Now, you must note that He doesn’t only call people from the altar but from all works of life to serve Him in various capacities.
For example, He can call some to join Him in the technology field because He wants to use technology as a tool to reach the unsaved.
His agenda goes beyond the altar into the everyday lives of people.
God is not a Sunday-Sunday God. He is God every single day and so He is using people to accomplish His agenda daily.
Pastors don’t reserve the right to be used by God.
As far as you are born again – whether you are in business, arts and entertainment or even in fashion, God can use you in that field to fulfil His will.
He said in Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Thus, whatever it is that you do, make sure you are doing it in the name of Jesus Christ.
When you do something in the name of someone, it means it is not you but the fellow being represented that’s doing it.
In other words, when God calls you to an industry, you are not to go there to do your will but His.
His agenda is already set; all He does when He calls you is to join Him in bringing it to pass.
Thus, when you feel Him pulling you to work for Him in a certain field of life, then you must ask Him what His agenda is concerning that thing you are to do.
Everything you do must be in line with His agenda.
You should also note that you are His representative there and you must not do what He Himself wouldn’t.
As a reward for answering the call to join Him in His redemptive work in the world, God makes sure that all things work together for your good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are thecalled according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Once you are called according to His purpose and you answer that call, all things will begin to work together for your good.
KEY POINT
God called you to that industry to do His will; represent Him well.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Lamentations 1-2
RCCG HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 23 AUGUST 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE BLESSINGS ARE CONDITIONAL
MEMORISE: Genesis 26:4-5 (KJV)
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto thy seed all these countries and in thy seed all the nations of the earth be blessed, because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statues and my laws.
BIBLE TEXT: 2 Chronicles 1:6-12
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 23 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
I thank God that He made sure I studied Mathematics before I became a preacher.
Every Mathematician knows that for any formula to work, certain conditions must be met.
If you meet God’s conditions, He will do for you what He is not doing for others.
This is so important that it could be the greatest thing you have ever heard or read in your life, because if you begin to meet His conditions, people around you would begin to ask, “What is your secret?”
When people sing, “Abraham’s blessings are mine”, many of them think it is just by singing it that they’ll have the blessing.
When you do your research, you’ll see that Abraham himself, in Genesis 22:16-17, got his blessing by being willing to sacrifice his only son to God.
That day, God swore by Himself to bless Abraham and Isaac also, because the boy was willing to lay down his life.
When Isaac was going to pass on the blessing, he gave it to the son who brought him a meal that he loved (Genesis 27:1-29).
I agree that when you became a Christian, you received the blessing of Abraham, but to tell you the whole truth, you got it on credit.
You must be ready to give something for that blessing to really begin to manifest in your life.
Nothing goes for nothing.
When God saved my soul, with joy I gave Him the first house I ever built – a little mud house plastered with cement.
Thereafter, God built another one for me in my little village and when He needed it, I gave it to Him too.
I also gave the first house I built in Lagos to God when He needed it. These are just a few of the things that I can tell you here.
By the time God responded, He did so in a marvelous way.
For example, anywhere I go to now and there’s a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God there, I can be sure of a good place to sleep that night.
If I announce that I need a car for an assignment tomorrow for example, I am likely to wake up the next day to see a fleet of cars brought by different people and each one would want me to pick the one they brought.
If you really want God to bless you, you should ask yourself, “Have I met the conditions necessary for me to be blessed?”
ACTION POINT
Do something today that will impress God so much that He will look down from heaven and bless you.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Lamentations 3-5
RCCG HYMN 26: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 24 AUGUST 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD DELIGHTS IN OUR PROSPERITY
MEMORISE: Joshua 1:8 (KJV)
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
BIBLE TEXT: Luke 13:6-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 24 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The first lesson I want us to learn in today’s devotional reading is that God is delighted in our prosperity and this is why He gave us His commandments.
Psalm 1:1-3 says:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
As we progress in this second half of the year, we should take note of the factors that will aid our all-round prosperity.
Some people misinterpret or do not know why the rich man in Luke 12:16-21 died the way he did at the peak of his prosperity.
It was simply because he did not acknowledge God as the Source of his wealth.
He was also so engrossed in acquiring wealth that he did not know when his time was up; hence he did not prepare for eternity (Luke 16:21).
His error was not that he became rich because as a matter of fact, God is interested in the prosperity of His children.
The Bible says in 3 John 2:
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
The Bible says further that God gives the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). The Church also is expected to prosper through all-round growth.
For example, Luke 12:1 describes the audience of Jesus as an ‘innumerable multitude of people’ which signifies a huge growth in His ministry.
Zechariah 1:17 also says that, through prosperity shall the cities of the Lord be spread abroad.
The Bible, however, also says that the so-called prosperity of sinners shall destroy them (Proverbs 1:32).
Beware of ungodly means of getting wealth, so that you can avoid the sorrows that come with ill gotten riches (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
PRAYER POINT
Father, use me to prove to the world that you love the prosperity of your children.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 1-4
RCCG HYMN 26: There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 25 AUGUST 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE BLESSING AND THE BLESSER
MEMORISE: Luke 12:15 (KJV)
And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesses.
BIBLE TEXT: Deuteronomy 8:11-20
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 25 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
If I were to ask you, “Which do you consider more important – the blessing or the Blesser?” you are likely to say it is the Blesser.
However, there are millions of self-professing Christians around the world today who prioritise God’s blessings above the One who blessed them in the first place.
When you begin to choose your job over God, you are prioritising the blessing over the Blesser.
I want you to do an honest check within yourself now: which one have you been prioritising – the blessing or the Blesser?
The unfortunate thing about prioritising the blessing over the Blesser is that the Blesser can withdraw His blessings at any time.
In 1 Samuel 16:1, God told Samuel to stop pleading on Saul’s behalf because He had given the throne to someone else.
In Genesis 48:20, we see how Jacob blessed Ephraim above his older brother Manasseh. Ephraim eventually became ten times more successful than his brother (Deuteronomy 33:17).
However, when success came, Ephraim forgot God (Psalm 78:9-11).
God kept sending prophets to Ephraim, but he refused to listen to the Blesser. After some time, God said, “Let him alone” (Hosea 4:17).
By the time we get to Hosea 5:9, God said that Ephraim would be desolate. Ephraim lost his blessings because he prioritised them above the Blesser.
When success comes, don’t forget God because He has the power to give and to take away.
When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I decided by faith that God would feed everyone that came for our annual convention.
One of the young men who was a baker said he would provide the bread for breakfast. He later on changed his mind and decided not to supply us with bread as he had promised because he didn’t like a message I preached.
God, however, sent help to us and we were able to purchase the bread we required.
Years later, my baker friend appeared at my house very early one morning; I said, “What can I do for you? You came very early”.
He said he would have come earlier but one of his tires got flat and he didn’t have a spare.
This was a man who used to have numerous cars; now, he didn’t even have a spare tire because he placed the blessing above the Blesser.
Beloved, focus on the Blesser and not the blessing.
KEY POINT
God is more important than all the riches, great positions and blessings in the world. Never forget that.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 5-8
RCCG HYMN 18: Praise To The Lord The Almighty
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 26 AUGUST 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: ABOUT PREDESTINATION
MEMORISE: Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
BIBLE TEXT: Romans 8:29-33
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 26 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Before you were born, God knew you (Jeremiah 1:4-5). He not only knows your beginning, He knows your end too (Jeremiah 29:11).
Some people call this destiny. Many believe that people’s fates are decided by God no matter what they do.
If you pay attention to the first part of our Bible reading today, you will see the word, ‘Foreknow’.
Your destiny is determined by His knowledge of the things you will do and the decisions you will make throughout your lifetime.
In other words, your destiny is ultimately decided by you.
If God tells you your destiny now, it is based on all the knowledge He has about you. For example, God knows all that you have done in the past.
In 2 Kings 5:20-27, when Gehazi collected Naaman’s gifts secretly, Elisha didn’t leave the house, but he saw everything.
Gehazi lied about what he had done and became destined to be a leper and a father of lepers.
What you have done in the past and what you are doing now are good pointers to your destiny.
God also knows what you are going to do tomorrow.
This explains Romans 9:10-14, where the Bible says that before Esau and Jacob were born, God had already loved Jacob and hated Esau.
People may say that is unfair, but God already knew in advance what would happen in Genesis 25:29-34- that Esau would love his stomach more than his birthright.
Now you may say, “Since He knows my future, that means it is already fixed; no matter how hard I try, what will be will be”.
No, that is not correct.
In Daniel 2:20-21, Bible says God changes times. He rearrange your future. Don’t forget that He is Supreme and can do as He pleases.
The fact that you are alive today reading this particular means there is hope for you to end well.
In Luke 23:39-43, a criminal on his way to hell got salvation at the last minute. Jesus Christ rearranged His destiny and he ended up in heaven.
If you sincerely cry to God today, confess your past and present sins while determining to live holy henceforth, He can rearrange your future and make sure that you have a glorious destiny; it is all in your own hands.
KEY POINT
Your destiny is in your hands.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 9-12
RCCG HYMN 23: Take My Life And Let It Be
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 27 AUGUST 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE MEAL THAT MAKES RICH
MEMORISE: Exodus 12:36 (KJV)
And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
BIBLE TEXT: Exodus 12:17, 35-36
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 27 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
While studying the word of God, I discovered that God performs various miracles through the Holy Communion.
One of such miracles is making when rich those who partake in the meal according to His will.
The occult also tries to emulate this when witch doctors ask people seeking sudden riches to eat some charms that will make them rich overnight.
They will,, however, also reach an agreement to be rich for only a few years before the charm kills them.
In Yorubaland, such a person would be said to have eaten lukudi.
There was one man who ate lukudi, but instead of getting money, the charm began to eat him up from the inside.
He came to the Headquarters of The Redeemed Christian Church of God and pretended to give his life to Jesus. We prayed and he vomited the charm he had eaten.
After a while, we noticed that he stopped coming to Church, only to later hear that he had gone to eat the charm again.
This time around the money came, but when the agreed date for his death started drawing near, he decided to run to England and ended up dying in the plane.
As is typical with the devil, whatever he gives is always short-lived and he collects the fellow’s soul in return.
Mark 8:36 asks: “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”
With the Holy Communion, however, not only will you become rich after eating it, you will also have long and eternal life.
According to Exodus 12:35-36, the day the children of Israel ate the Holy Communion, the wealth of the Egyptians was handed over to them.
When you eat the Holy Communion, the wealth the Almighty God has assigned to you that is in the hands of the enemy will be transferred to you.
As you eat the Holy Communion worthily, you will receive payment with interest for every unpaid labour of your life, in Jesus’ name.
There is another charm that is said to give promotion and good luck when eaten. In Yorubaland, it is known as Awure.
The problem with these charms however, is that the witch doctors who prepare them are poor themselves, yet people believe they can make them prosperous.
When you eat the Holy Communion however, it will bring you genuine promotion and those people who have been treating you as a servant will come and bow before you.
KEY POINT
Eating the Holy Communion worthily could be what you need to get that breakthrough you have been praying for.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 13-15
RCCG HYMN 1: All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 28 AUGUST 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD WILL MAKE YOU FRUITFUL
MEMORISE: Exodus 23:26 (KJV)
There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
BIBLE TEXT: Genesis 1:27-30
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 28 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God’s plan for everyone is that they would be fruitful and multiply. That is why He gave every woman considered barren in the Scriptures a testimony.
The only person who died barren is the woman that mocked her husband – King David – for dancing before God (2 Samuel 6:20-23).
If you have been considered barren, God is about to surprise you, in Jesus’ name.
You however, have a part to play as God is set to make you experience all-round fruitfulness. John 15:1-5 makes it clear that you must be joined to the Fruitful Vine to be fruitful.
He said in verse 4,”Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
To become fruitful, you must be totally joined to the Fruitful Vine. You must abide in Him.
Many years ago, we held a programme in Lagos, Nigeria, during which I urged everybody to ask for something special from God.
There was a lady there who said, “Father, I’m not going to ask You for anything anymore because I have repeatedly asked You for what I wanted, and You didn’t give me. I used to ask You for a husband and now I’m too old to have children, so I won’t ask again. However, I will continue to serve You all the days of my life”.
God heard her and a few days later, a man came and said he wanted to marry her. She looked at the man and told him to pray again as she was already past menopause.
He said he already had children, but he was a widower, so he was looking for a wife who would also be a mother to them.
They got married and nine months later, she gave birth to twins – two boys.
When you commit yourself to the True Vine, He will make sure that you become fruitful.
The True Vine can make you fruitful in every aspect of your life.
God is the One who said in Leviticus 19:13 that everyone must pay the wages of those that work for them.
If you are committed to God and His kingdom, you will definitely bear fruit. God said He is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love (Hebrews 6:10).
The Lord will definitely reward you as long as you remain connected to Him.
ACTION POINT
Be totally committed to God.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 16-17
RCCG HYMN 26: There Be Showers Of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 29 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: HOW TO BECOME INFLUENTIAL
MEMORISE: Genesis 26:4 (KJV)
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
BIBLE TEXT: John 15:14-16
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 29 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God wants you to be influential. Genesis 1:28 He wants you to have dominion.
Believe me honestly, you don’t have to be the president before you begin to have dominion. No matter your status today, you can still have dominion.
The Almighty God wants you to become influential, but for that to happen, you must obey Him and His commandments – no matter the situation.
When you do this, He will see to it that you are always the head and never the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). If you want to increase in influence, do what He says.
One major thing He said you should do is to win souls.
Our Bible reading for today says you can become Jesus’ friend and I’m telling you, when you befriend the Lord, you become very influential because of your relationship with He who has influence across all realms (Philippians 2:10).
When you become a friend of Jesus Christ, doors open to you automatically.
I can tell you stories upon stories about countries that refused to register The Redeemed Christian Church of God and the same people would call us back within months to offer us our registration certificate.
When you are a friend of Jesus, you will do what He commanded in John 15:14-15 – win souls and make sure they abide.
If you do this, He has promised that anything you ask in His name, He will do it.
That is great influence.
In John 12:32, the Bible says if you will lift Jesus, He would draw all men to Himself.
If you keep on preaching, witnessing and winning souls, men will come from all over the place to meet with you.
Thus, if you want to be influential, 2 Timothy 4:2 says you should preach in and out of season. Preach when it is convenient and when it is not convenient.
If every one of us reading this devotional today goes out and wins at least one soul today, imagine how much rejoicing would be in heaven because of us.
Do your part and He will surely do His.
My greatest desire was to be the youngest Vice-Chancellor in Africa, but when I became born again and God called me into full-time ministry, I abandoned my ambition.
Today, Vice-Chancellors call me Daddy.
ACTION POINT
Every reader of this devotional is to win at least one soul today. Don’t break the chain.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 18-20
RCCG HYMN 18: Praise To The Lord The Almighty
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 30 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: BECOMING A SPIRITUAL GIANT
MEMORISE: 1 Corinthians 12:31
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
BIBLE TEXT: Acts 19:11-16
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 30 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God wants you to grow spiritually so that you would eventually become a giant in the spirit realm.
In 1 Corinthians 12:31, God says you are allowed to covet earnestly the best gifts.
When I read that passage, I told God, “Lord, give me a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, double the spirit of Peter, double the spirit of Paul, double the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, add everything together and double it again”.
He responded that I was asking for trouble because people would not let me rest. I said I wanted it still because I could not afford to be anything else but a spiritual giant.
You must make up your mind not to be an ordinary Christian from today.
If you want to become a spiritual giant, 2 Kings 2:1-8 teaches that you must be loyal to your own Elijah.
When Elijah wanted to leave this world, Elisha followed him three times; each time, Elijah told him to go back, but he refused.
Your Elijah is your father-in-the-Lord.
In 2 Kings 2:9-15, when Elijah was departing, Elisha got a double portion of his spirit.
One day, I was praying that my children would be greater than I, and one of them said, “Anyone who will be greater than you probably will never eat again”.
He said that because of how often I fast, but then I told him not to leave God out of the equation.
It doesn’t matter how great God made your father-in-the-Lord, you can become greater just by honoring and being loyal to him.
Elisha got a double portion of the spirit of Elijah because he pursued the same vision as he.
Learn to minister to the one whom God has placed over you spiritually. In 2 Kings 3:11-12, the Bible tells us that Elisha ministered constantly to his spiritual father.
It wasn’t long after that in 2 Kings 13:14 that we read that a king called him ‘Father”.
If you are committed to honouring your father-in-the-Lord by serving him, you would receive something that you could otherwise have laboured greatly in the spirit to get.
Somebody once said that the tail of a lion is more powerful than the head of a dog.
Your father-in-the-Lord is already a lion; if you are committed to following Him as he follows Jesus, you can do greater things than when you are on your own.
KEY POINT
You can become a spiritual giant by honouring and being loyal to your spiritual leader.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 21-22
RCCG HYMN 16: Praise Him, Praise Him, Jesus Our Blessed Redeemer
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 31 AUGUST 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE GOD OF RESTORATION
MEMORISE: Genesis 40:21 (KJV)
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
BIBLE TEXT: Luke 6:6-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 31 AUGUST 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Restoration can be simply described as the process of returning something to its original state.
Divine restoration is an act of God because only the Creator of heaven and earth has the knowledge and ability to restore humanity to its original state.
The unfortunate error of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden robbed mankind of their dominion in creation. This led to separation from God and attracted death and other terrible curses.
Thereafter, life became full of different kinds of sins – idolatry, immorality, wickedness- until life became unbearably difficult.
At this point, our loving and compassionate God decided to end the misery by restoring man’s dominion through redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Restoration is a complete package that includes forgiveness of sins, freedom from guilt and mercy rather than judgement.
It usually comes as an act of mercy, favour, compassion, and love, with the sole aim of reconciling mankind to God.
Restoration often involves the remission of sin, cancellation of debts, and reversing the irreversible.
Our God is a God of restoration. Jesus restored life to Lazarus in John 11:43-44 and the son of the widow of Nain in Luke 7:11-15. He restored sight to a man born blind in John 9:1-7.
Our God can restore ill health, failing businesses, damaged relationships, broken marriages and lost opportunities.
All you need to do is cry unto Him in prayer. May you be fully restored in every area of your life, in Jesus’ name.
The Bible teaches that as God is, so He wants us to be in this world. We must forgive everyone that has offended us while also seeking the forgiveness of those we have offended.
Forgiveness is to be without limits, as stated in Luke 17:3-4 and Matthew 18:21-22. Forgiveness leads to peace, reconciliation, healing, progress, joy, prosperity, and answered prayers.
Make up your mind to be at peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), forgive everybody that has offended you and settle all pending disputes with your neighbours.
Let the love of God radiate through you to others so that you would become a beneficiary of the abundant blessings of the Lord.
Be restored to God first, then pursue restoration of every broken relationship as God guides you.
PRAYER POINT
Father, restore everything that I may have lost in time past, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 23-24
RCCG HYMN 14: O What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
Download RCCG Open Heaven August 2023 Devotional PDF
