OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

TOPIC: DISCOVERING YOUR PURPOSE

MEMORISE:

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, l am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12

READ: Acts 9:3-6

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

MESSAGE

In Galatians 1:15, Apostle Paul said that God separated him to Himself while he was still in his mother’s womb. However, he didn’t know God’s plan for his life until he met Christ in Acts 9:3-6, as we see in today’s Bible reading.

Many people live and die without discovering why God sent them to the world. For instance, some people think that they are meant to be teachers when, in fact, God meant for them to be tailors, so they struggle through life without making much progress. Some people, however, discover God’s purpose for their lives early, and they keep on succeeding.

Before I met Christ, my ambition was to be the youngest Vice Chancellor (VC) in Africa. I thought that was what I was supposed to do in life. I was doing quite well, and at a very young age, l became the acting Head of the Mathematics Department at a Federal university in Nigeria. I had already completed the interview process to become a full professor, and I was expecting to start using the title “Professor’ in a few months when God called me into full-time ministry. I never became the youngest VC in Africa, but today, many VCs call me Daddy. Even though I never became a VC, God has started a university through me by His grace. I pray for you today that you will discover God’s plan for your life and fulfill it, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, following Jesus Christ closely is the only way you can discover God’s purpose for your life.

When His light shines on you, it will point you in the direction you should go. Paul discovered his purpose because the light of God shone on him in Acts 9:3-6. Until that light came, he was living contrary to God’s plan for his life, even though he thought he was fulfilling God’s purpose. Some people are actively climbing career and ministerial ladders that are leaning on the wrong wall. It is only after they have reached the top that they realise that they have been working fervently in a space that God has not called them into. I pray that such will never be your story. May you not labour in an area God has not called you to, in Jesus’ name. The light of God will shine on you, and it will direct and empower you to fulfil your purpose, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please align me with Your purpose for my life

and empower me to fulfil it, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Joel 1-3

HYMN: ALL TO JESUS

1 All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

 

I surrender all,

  I surrender all.

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

    I surrender all.

2 All to Jesus I surrender,

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

3 All to Jesus I surrender,

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;

Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

4 All to Jesus I surrender,

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power,

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

5 All to Jesus I surrender,

Now I feel the sacred flame.

Oh, the joy of full salvation!

Glory, glory to His name!