Open heaven devotional 19th August 2023

Open Heaven 19 August 2023
Topic: From Darkness To Light V

Memory Verse: He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, 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. – (1 Samuel 2:8)

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 4:1-15 (NIV)

1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,

2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.

8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.

Open Heaven 19 August 2023 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 I?”, 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.

Open Heaven 19 August 2023
Points: Father, destroy anything that has hindered my promotion so far and lift me high, in Jesus’ name.

Hymn: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 49