Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Acts 5:41
Read: Acts 5:33-42
God is the giver of joy for in His presence is fullness of
joy (Psalms 16:11). Romans 15:13 says:
Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is possible to be filled with all joy. That will be your
portion this season. God also wants your joy to be full, not half or quarter,
hence in John 16:24, He says:
Hitherto have ye asked
nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
If some very important requests are not granted, your joy
will definitely not be full.
But you may ask: Why is my joy not yet full? It could just
be because you are yet to meet all the requirements. 1 Peter 4:13 says;
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy.
If you are not prepared to suffer with Christ, then be
prepared to forego the benefit of exceeding joy. There are some believers who
are still hiding their faith in Christ in their workplace. They do not want
their bosses or colleagues to know that they are born again Christians for fear
of being persecuted. There are sisters who cannot tell their husbands that they
are now saved and so can no longer continue the things they did together that
did not please God. There are people attending white garment churches or
non-Pentecostal churches who along the line contacted believers who preached to
them and they received Christ as their Lord. Yet, they are afraid of declaring
to their unsaved leaders and fellow church members that they are now born again
for fear of being branded rebels. In any way you are hiding your status as a
believer, you are denying Christ. If you find it difficult to preach Jesus to
others, you are denying Him. If you deny Him, He also will deny you. No one who
denies Jesus will be able to have the fullness of joy that He promised. Are you
prepared to suffer for His name? The early church counted it a privilege to
suffer for Christ. No wonder their joy knew no bounds.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, let there be a manifestation of the answer to all my
prayers that I may experience the fullness of joy that you promised.
Bible in one year: 1 Samuel 11-13
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