Theme For Open Heavens Devotional 22 June 2019 – ANY ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS?
MEMORY VERSE:
“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this The Christ?” John 4:29
BIBLE READING: John 4:16-26
16. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet.
20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship The Father.
22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for Salvation is of The Jews.
23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS SHALL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM.
24. God Is A Spirit: And They That Worship Him Must Worship Him In Spirit And In Truth.
25. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things.
26. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee AM HE.
MESSAGE:
A Personal Encounter with Jesus is always The Beginning of every Genuine Relationship with God.
1. The Samaritan woman in today’s Bible Reading had one encounter with Jesus that empowered her to turn her whole city around for God.
2. All the great men and woman of God in the Bible like Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Mary, David, Jeremiah, Elisha and many others had A Personal Encounter with God in very special ways, which reflected in the nature and depth of their relationship with Him.
3. When you encounter God through Divine Visitation, you can be sure you are in for Pleasant Surprises.
4. Being A Benevolent God, He does not come empty-handed whenever He visits an individual.
5. In Genesis chapter 18, the angelic visitation to Abraham and Sarah brought about the pronouncement of irreversible blessings which led to the birth of Isaac.
6. Genesis 18:10 “And He said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.”
7. My prayer for you today is that you will encounter God in A Powerful Way in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
B. Apart from A Divine Visitation, you can also encounter God through His Word.
1. Psalms 107:20 “He sent His Word, and Healed them, and Delivered them from their destructions.”
2. Isaiah 9:8”The Lord sent A Word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.”
3. Every Encounter with God’s Word releases life-changing truth that sets free.
4. John 17:17 “Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth.”
5. John 8:32 “And ye shall know The Truth, and The Truth shall make you free.”
6. Because our needs are different, the dose of truth needed to bring total liberation varies from one person to another.
7. If you can expose yourself to more of God’s Word and allow its Light to shine upon your heart, captivity will give way and you will be completely free.
C. God desires your absolute freedom, so that He can empower you to set other captives free.
1. John 8:36 “If The Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”
2. Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”
3. How much freedom are you experiencing in your life today?
4. Everything, that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
5. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become A Chanel of Salvation and Deliverance to others in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
D. Beloved, The Christian Life is not an ordinary life but A Supernatural One
1. John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I Am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more Abundantly.
2. 1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be The God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His Abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
3. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you.”Amen
4. It is A Superior Life Superior to ordinary natural existence.
5. The kind of life we have compels things which ordinarily are impossible to happen.
6. The Supernatural can cause events which are contrary to natural laws to take place.
7. Therefore, anyone operating in The Realm of The Supernatural does things others consider to be impossible.
E. It takes Supernatural Power to Reverse the Irreversible and Move the Immovable.
1. This Power is capable of Igniting A Revival that would turn the heart of a whole nation to Jesus.
2. It is the only Power that is Superior to demonic and magical powers.
3. I pray that you will encounter The supernatural power of God.
4. Which will destroy every work of the devil against you,
5. And you will become a problem solver to your generation, to the glory of God, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please grant me The Divine Encounter to manifest Your Glory, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 26-27
Ezekiel 1:1-21
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
• Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
• Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
• Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
• Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
• Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
• Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!
Credit – Pastor E. Adeboye