Open Heavens 7 November 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Are You Overcoming?

Topic: Are You Overcoming? [Monday 7, November 2016]

Memorise: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. – Romans 8:37

Read: John 16:31-33 (KJV)

31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 1-3, Psalms 97

MESSAGE:

God, in His Word, states that everyone who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The experience of persecution is part of our heritage as believers in Christ Jesus. The world will treat you in a cruel manner simply because of your faith. They will do many things to hurt you simply because you have chosen to live righteous. There are a lot of prices to pay for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, however, the benefits of following Christ far outweighs its cost. If you truly serve God the way you should, the world will persecute you. That is why I pity those people who live amiably with all and sundry. If you are a genuine believer and the world speaks so well of you and loves you so much, you have to be careful.

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” -1 Peter 2:21

Following the footsteps of Jesus may involve sufferings of all kinds. There are many people who say they are called into ministry, and they want to start the ministry by having all the comforts of life. They want offices that are fully air-conditioned; they want official cars, a place where their needs can be regularly guaranteed. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having all these, but it should not become a condition for our response to the calling of God upon our lives. Nobody who is really devoted to serving the Lord will escape the kind of persecutions that people like David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego went through. David was persecuted because he killed a giant that Saul was unable to handle. Jeremiah was beaten and cast into prison because he declared the absolute Word of God to a sinful generation. Preaching the truth will always attract persecution, but you can be sure that the blood of those you told the truth will not be demanded from you. Daniel faced a lot of problems simply because he distinguished himself among the governors. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast into the burning furnace simply because they refused to compromise and bow to other gods.

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” -Romans 8:37

This portion of the scripture tells us that there is no amount of pressure from the pit of hell that can take us away from the love of God. David was a conqueror because God did not stop with him until he got to the throne. Daniel was a conqueror because no king ever served in his life time without having to recourse with him. The same Hebrew boys that were cast into the fiery furnace were the same boys whose God was declared the only One whom the whole nation must worship. The Lord commands us to rejoice when we go through trials in life, because great is our reward. People may say all kinds of evil against you. They may hate you. They may decide not to involve you in any beneficial thing, just to put you off. Do not fret, because you will laugh last.

Prayer Point: Father, please, strengthen me that I may never bow to the pressure of life

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.