Skip to main content

Open Heavens Daily Devotional, Thursday, 23rd January, 2014



TOPIC: NEW LIFE IN JESUS II

Memorise:
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Read:
Romans 6:12-13

Bible in one year: 
2 Timothy 1-4,  Psalm 22:1-21.

MESSAGE:
As a born-again Christian, you need to understand and live by the nature of the new creature that you are. This is the key to your victory in this world. One character of your new nature is revealed in Galatians 5:25:
”And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts ”
Once you belong to Jesus Christ by being born-again, your sinful nature has been crucified. Your nature no longer conforms to that which is controlled by the flesh because you are dead to the flesh. This is further clarified in Romans 8:9-10:
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
 However it does not end there. Armed with this understanding of who you are, you have to conscientiously by faith enforce this victory over the flesh in your mind. 1 Peter 4:1 says:
”Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ”
This day-to-day battle of enforcement and resistance will be very ”painful”. The flesh is not going to like your stance; but you must let it know that you are dead to it and it cannot rule you; As a matter of compulsion, make no provision for the flesh . Apart from the flesh being crucified, another character of your new nature is that through Christ, the world is crucified to you and you are crucified to the world (Galatians 6:14). This implies that you are dead to the world. What does this mean? Before we were born-again, we had friends or relations whose company we used to enjoy, people whose opinions mattered a lot to us and influenced us to do lots of things we did not really want to do. Many a times some people are found smoking not because they enjoy smoking,

But because they were worried about their friends’ uncomplimentary remarks about their abstinence from such habits. Therefore when their peers smoke, they join them to smoke even though they know that smoking will send them to their untimely death. However, once you are born-again, armed with the mindset that you are dead to the world, such opinions will no longer matter. It does not matter what they say, you are determined to follow Jesus. You will not perish with the world in Jesus‘ Name.

Prayer point:
Father, thank you for giving me a new life in Christ; please help me to live by this new life till I see you in glory


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New- Better than Queen Esther Book

A book is a door to someone's discovery. An access to an invaluable reservoir of knowledge and understanding. More importantly, a book inspired by God's word, is much more invaluable. Nothing can be compared to the unsearchable wisdom embedded in the depth of God's word being dug out in simple terms in form of a book. *Better than Queen Esther* is a epitome of divine touch in prints for today's generations and the ones unborn. Mysteries are revealed, practical indoctrination is simplified. It's the best birthday gift for that couple, friend, pastor, cousin, colleague... It touches relationship, marriage, power, position, leadership, self control and mastery. Get a copy from  Jumia
Post a Comment
Read more

Fulfilling Christmas?

T oday is December 25 th , the long-awaited Christmas day. A day where everyone rejoices and celebrate in unison. There had not been any day like this where the whole world, whether Greek or Jew, white or black, Muslim or Christian, celebrate in unity. Indeed, this must be a special day. The world as we know enjoy celebration even in the midst of suffering, greed, poverty, lack and high political and economic tension. On a day like this virtually everyone pretends all is well just to have a full grasp of the day. Yes. All is well but is all really well? On a day like this, I spend more time resonating about the 358days which has gone by. I realised that I have lost many friends, made new friends, attended funerals, attended naming ceremonies. I have seen terrible accidents and I have even been involved in some. But yet I am standing. Oh, I didn’t die? Yea. But why didn’t I die? Am I better than those who died or lost one part of their body? The answer is No! Life is all abo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Open Heavens 2014 daily devotion - Thursday July 31- A Friend In Jesus

Memorise: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14 Read: 1 Samuel 20:16-17 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies. 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Bible in a Year: Matthew 16:5-18:35; Message: A friend is someone who you share your heart with and who you can trust. A friend is also a person you like a lot. There are different categories of friends. There is a friend in need who is a friend indeed. This is a friend who helps you when you really need help. Ideally, friendship is reciprocal and the Bible enjoins those who have friends to reciprocate with a friendly attitude. Proverbs 18:24 says: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Jonathan was a friend indeed to David. He could perceive ...
Post a Comment
Read more