OPEN HEAVENS Devotional – Monday February 8th 2016
TOPIC: DELIVERANCE
THROUGH PRAYER
Memorize:
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye
Read:
Acts 12:1-8,
1 Now about that time Herod the
king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of
John with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the
Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of
unleavened bread.)
4 And when he had apprehended him, he
put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep
him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison:
but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 And when Herod would have brought
him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with
two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord
came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the
side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from
his hands.
8 And the angel said unto him, Gird
thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast
thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Bible in
one year: Mark 5:21-6:56, Job 18:5-19
MESSAGE
If children
of God would take time to study the Word of God and pay great attention to His
person, ways, attributes and commandments, the world would be a much better
place. Prayers will be answered quickly and Christians will revel in the glory
and favour of God. We will partially know the reason(s) behind God’s actions
and what to do at any time to move His hands in our favour. By the grace of
God, anyone that is conversant with the History and development of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God will agree, without any doubt that God has constantly
revealed His mind to us in the place of prayer. May His name be praised
forevermore in Jesus’ name.
A careful
study of the story of Hezekiah in Isaiah 36-38 reveals two important factors
that lead to God’s deliverance through prayer. The first is recorded in Isaiah
37:20, where Hezekiah asks God to deliver Israel for His own sake and not
theirs:
“Save us
from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are
the Lord” Isaiah 37:20
God
responded by saving them for His glory. There is no greater and stronger
foundation for our salvation than this. It is by His grace and it is accessible
to all human beings without any qualification. It is open to the poor as well
as the rich; it is open to men and women of all ages, race and background. Not
because we deserve it, but to show that God is a merciful God who delights in
showering blessings on His children.
The second
factor is found in the same story. Hezekiah first prayed for Jerusalem’s
existence that was being threatened and God graciously answered and saved
Jerusalem, again he prayed for mercy and elongation of his own life and God
answered too. In both cases, God’s deliverance came in direct response to a
humble and desperate prayer. God will always respond to the desperate requests
of His children because Jesus is our sinless high priest who makes it possible
for us to approach the throne of grace with confidence. The New
Testament reveals a similar pattern in the book of Acts 12:1-8;
“Peter
therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him.” Acts 12:5
The Lord
answered the prayer of the Church with the miraculous deliverance of Peter.
Here again, God answers the desperate prayer of His people for the glory of His
Name. I therefore decree, as you make your request known to God this day, He
will answer you by fire with signs following in Jesus’
Name.
Prayer
Point
Father,
please don’t let me ever suffer any kind of defeat in Jesus’ name.
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