BREAKING COVENANTS 2
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. - (1 John 4:4)
READ: 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Years ago, one of my daughters in the Lord came to me and said, "Daddy, a young man approached me and said he wants to marry me." I congratulated her, but she replied, "Daddy, my father told me that I was dedicated to a river goddess when I was born, and a covenant was made that whoever I marry is going to die on our wedding day. I don't want the young man to die." I told her that I know someone stronger than the river goddess. We prayed a simple prayer, and she left. The next time I saw her, she was happily married and already had a baby. I declare that any evil force that might be hindering your progress is destroyed today, in Jesus' name.
A new and greater covenant can cancel a previously existing one. For instance, if you want to break a covenant with someone, all you need to do is enter into a covenant with someone greater; the greater fellow can release you from the lesser person's covenant by force. If a person enters into a covenant with the devil, the moment he or she enters into a covenant with God, He will wipe out all evil covenants from the fellow's life. God's covenant is superior to any other covenant. Our God is stronger than the strongest; therefore, once a person enters into a covenant with Him, He will bind any strong man who was previously in charge of the fellow's life and throw him out.
It is also important to note that the devil still seeks to retain his strongholds in the lives of people even after they have become born again. A stronghold is a deeply entrenched evil pattern that the devil has instilled in a person, and it must be addressed. Otherwise, the person will continue to operate under its influence even after he or she has become born again. Such strongholds typically include bitterness, pride, generational curses, anger, and other similar issues.
Beloved, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) urges us to pull down strongholds and cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. If you are a party to any evil covenant or are under the influence of any demonic stronghold, cry out to God today to deliver you by His mighty power. I join my faith with yours and decree that you are completely free from any evil covenant or demonic stronghold that might be in your life, in Jesus' name.
KEY POINT:
Having a covenant with God annuls every evil covenant in a person's life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Lamentations 1-2
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
BREAKING COVENANTS 1
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? - (Ezekiel 17:15)
READ: 1 Samuel 2:27-31
God is faithful; He never breaks His promises, nor does He go back on His word. James 1:17 says that there is no variableness nor shadow of turning with Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and He never breaks His covenants. However, if a fellow breaks a covenant he or she has made with God, then God is under no obligation to keep His part of the covenant.
In Numbers 25:6-13, God made a covenant of eternal priesthood with Phinehas, Eleazar's son, because, in his zeal for the Lord, he struck a man and his concubine dead. However, in today's Bible reading, God told Eli, "I entered into a covenant that you and your father's house will stand before Me forever, but since you have broken the covenant, I am saying, let it be far from Me." Eli's carelessness annulled the covenant God made with his ancestor, Phinehas. As a result of the broken covenant, God's hedge of protection departed from Eli's household, and his two sons died on the same day. When Eli heard the news of their death, he also died that same day, along with the wife of one of his sons. This illustrates the importance of a covenant and that the consequence of breaking one is usually death.
The death of a person who is a party to a covenant typically releases such a person from fulfilling his or her part in the covenant; however, God remains faithful to His covenants, even after a person He is in covenant with dies. Deuteronomy 7:9 says that He keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments to the thousandth generation. Exodus 34:7 tells us that He keeps mercy for thousands. When you keep your covenant with God, it will extend to your descendants. When God promised Abraham that through his seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18), that promise found its ultimate fulfilment in Jesus, who came 42 generations after Abraham, approximately 2,000 years later. When God promised David that he would always have a seed to sit on the throne (Psalm 89:3-4,29), He never broke His side of the covenant. That covenant was also fulfilled in Jesus.
Beloved, remain faithful to your covenant with God, for in doing so, you will release immeasurable blessings upon yourself and your descendants for generations to come.
KEY POINT:
God is faithful; He never breaks His covenants.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 51-52
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
GOD'S COVENANT OF PROTECTION
For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. - (Zechariah 2:5)
READ: Psalm 91:1-16
The devil lures many people into evil covenants with the promise of protection; however, complete protection only exists in God. Romans 8:31 says, "... If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:37 further says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. This means that, if you are in a covenant with God, you will not have to fight any battle, because He will always fight for you. Many times, you would have won the battle before you even realise that someone was trying to attack you.
I ran away from my village after some people threatened that they were going to 'eat me for breakfast,' and for 13 years, I could not return. However, after I met the Lord Jesus Christ, I was able to visit my village, and I even attended a wedding where I saw many of the people who had threatened to kill me through diabolical means. I was much younger in the faith at the time, so I had a lot of zeal but not much wisdom. I was asked to preach at the wedding, and I delivered a powerful sermon that hit them hard with the word of God. Some months later, those people went to the mother of the lady who got married and told her that it was her daughter's wedding that provided a platform for me to insult them. They further said that they had been waiting for an opportunity for revenge, and the opportunity had presented itself now that her daughter was pregnant. They told her, "We will see if your daughter will give birth, unless we are not the ones in charge here on earth." The lady's mother became frightened and came to me. I told her not to worry and assured her that on the day her daughter would give birth, all those who had threatened her would fall asleep. To the glory of God, things turned out exactly as I said; her daughter gave birth while those who threatened her were sleeping. The baby they swore would not be born is now a medical doctor.
Beloved, God said that He will be a wall of fire around you in today's memory verse, and anyone who chooses to confront the Consuming Fire will not live to tell the story. Never be afraid of any force, person, or situation that threatens to harm you. Cry out to God in such cases, and He will show up to defend you and give you victory.
KEY POINT:
God is a wall of fire around those who are in a covenant with Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 49
Ooen Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
THE GAINS OF GOD'S COVENANT 2
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: - (Deuteronomy 7:12)
READ: Genesis 20:1-18
Years ago, a highly influential man in an Islamic nation, where church planting was prohibited, invited one of our missionaries to establish a church within his compound. When the church started, his wife said to him, "With your position in government and your influence in this nation, you allowed a church be established in your compound?" He looked at his wife and said, "Don't you dare say a word against these people!" I believe that it was easy for the RCCG to plant a church in that nation, and indeed many nations in the world today, because of God's covenant with its founder, Pa Josiah Akindayomi.
One of the gains of being in a covenant with God is that you will keep getting greater results than your peers as long as you keep fulfilling your part of the covenant. God will keep giving you results that are beyond your efforts. What other people struggle to get will come to you easily because of His covenant with you.
In Exodus 19:5, God said, "If you will keep my covenant, I will make you a peculiar treasure." This means that people will take a look at you and wonder why God loves you so much. Several times, when I wake up at night and reflect on all the good things God is doing in RCCG, I usually say, "Lord, how can you love us this much?" Some people might claim that it is because we fast and pray, but believe me, some people fast more than we do. I recall vividly that when I became the General Overseer, I had some of my friends join me in a 36-hour non-stop prayer session. We thought this was a remarkable feat until we heard of a man who prayed non-stop for so much longer! I may not have spent as many hours in prayer at a stretch as that person, yet what God has done for RCCG is unprecedented and truly remarkable. Indeed, there are immense gains in being in a covenant with the Almighty God.
Another gain of being in a covenant with God is protection. When a king took Abraham's wife, God intervened by appearing in the king's dream. He went the extra mile to protect her and instructed the king to ask Abraham to pray for him, as we see in today's Bible reading. Beloved, there are immeasurable blessings that flow from being in covenant with God.
KEY POINT:
Being in a covenant with God gives you access to tremendous benefits and makes difficult things easy.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 44-46
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
Declare this:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for filling my heart with kindness that reflects Your goodness. You inspire me to care for others through generous actions and thoughtful service. Thank You for giving me opportunities to meet needs and show practical expressions of Your love to others. Thank You for helping me to show kindness as a joyful sacrifice that pleases You.
Thank You for helping me to manifest audacious faith through acts of kindness. As I willingly do good and share with others, Your love is seen through my life, and Your name is glorified. Thank You, Lord, for making me a cheerful giver of kindness and a blessing to many. I love You, Lord.
#2026GratitudeJourney
The Bible Doesn’t Tell Us to Be Tolerant — or to “Not Judge.”
Modern culture calls silence “kindness.”
But Scripture calls it cowardice.
The Bible never commands tolerance of sin - it commands truth:
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil.” - Romans 12:9
“Expose the deeds of darkness.”
- Ephesians 5:11
Even Christ rebuked the Church in Thyatira for being too tolerant:
“You tolerate that woman Jezebel… by her teaching she misleads My servants.” - Revelation 2:20
And “judge not” doesn’t mean stay silent. It means don’t judge hypocritically.
Jesus said:
“Judge with right judgment.” - John 7:24
Love calls sinners to repentance.
Tolerance leaves them comfortable in sin.
Love says: “Turn back to God.”
Tolerance says: “Stay as you are.”
Christ loved people deeply, but He never tolerated sin.
“Go and sin no more.” - John 8:11
The world says: “Don’t judge.”
The Bible says: “Stand firm.”
“Come out from among them and be separate.” - 2 Corinthians 6:17
The world wants silence.
Christ calls for courage.
True Christians don’t tolerate sin - they confront it with truth, for the sake of the soul.
That isn’t judgmental.
That’s biblical. ✝
.
When I say-
“I’m a Christian”
I’m not here Claiming to
know all the Answers ...
I’m here Claiming I know
The ONE with all
The ANSWERS
“that One is JESUS”
Can I get an “AMEN” ???
.
THE ANOINTING IS NOT FOR SALE
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. - (Matthew 10:8)
READ: 1 Peter 5:2-4
When God anoints a person, He expects him or her to use the anointing to edify His people and spread the gospel. As we see in today's Bible reading, God does not want the anointing to be used for personal gain.
I often tell the pastors under my supervision that when God uses them to perform a miracle, they must never demand or expect any reward from the person who received the miracle. In today's memory verse, Jesus told his disciples that they had received the anointing freely and they should also give it out freely. The One who performs miracles is God, not the people He has anointed. Therefore, you should never feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from God through His anointing upon you. Some self-professing ministers of God even go as far as selling olive oil, water, handkerchiefs, and other similar items that they claim have been anointed to those who come to them for prayers. Such conduct reveals that they are hirelings who are looking to exploit God's sheep rather than being shepherds who should nurture and feed them.
Beloved, you are not to use the anointing that God bestowed on you to manipulate people. Some people demand that they should be called 'Father in the Lord' just because God has used them to heal headaches. Being anointed does not qualify anyone to become a lord over others; rather, the anointing ought to be used to serve people. Peter knew that such temptations would arise, which was why he told some church leaders in today's Bible reading to feed the flock of God willingly and with a ready mind. He also warned them not to use God's anointing upon their lives for selfish gain.
Jesus Christ, our perfect example, exemplified how to use the anointing God bestows upon a person. He went about doing good and healing those who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38), and also served His followers (John 13:3-15). Beloved, like Jesus, use the anointing you have received from God to bless those He has sent you to; do not use it to exploit or victimise others. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and you will give an account of all the things He has given to you one day. Always remember that the anointing you have received from God is a tool to serve Him, edify His people, cater to their needs, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
KEY POINT:
The anointing is not meant to be used for personal gain but to serve the will and purpose of the One who gave it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 18-21
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
YOUR SALVATION IS NOT FOR SALE
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? - (Mark 8:36)
READ: Matthew 26:15, 27:3-5
In today's world, many people are selling their salvation for all kinds of mundane things. Some have sold their salvation for money, while others have sold it for fame or positions. There is, however, nothing in this world that is worth trading your salvation for. Anything that a person wants to acquire that will require the person to commit a sin is a trap of the enemy to get the fellow to sell his or her salvation and end up in hell. In Matthew 16:26, Jesus asked His disciples, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" These questions still apply to us today. There is no gain in trading the salvation of your soul for anything because nothing in this world is as precious as your soul.
Esau is an example of someone who traded something precious for something mundane and temporary. In Genesis 25:29-34, he chose to despise his privileged position in his father's house for just a bowl of pottage. He sold his birthright so cheaply just because he was hungry, and in Hebrews 12:17, the Bible says that he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. In like manner, Judas sold his salvation for money in today's Bible reading. He threw everything he had learnt from Jesus down the drain for 30 pieces of silver. Whatever lures a person to trade his or her salvation only wants to destroy the fellow. It might offer immediate pleasure and instant gratification, but the devil ultimately aims to use it to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
One way the devil tries to lure believers into trading their salvation is by making them believe that some sins are not as important as others and telling them that such sins do not matter. However, there is no act of sin that is not significant; every sinful act matters in God's sight. Every little compromise is a step out of His protective and merciful covering. Ecclesiastes 10:8 says that a serpent will bite whoever breaks a hedge. In other words, sin exposes a fellow to the attack of the enemy.
Beloved, do not toy with sin because it only offers a one-way ticket to hell. I pray that you will not trade the salvation of your soul for anything in the world, in Jesus' name.
KEY POINT:
Nothing is worth losing the salvation of your soul over.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 15-17
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
HE WHO THINKS HE STANDS 2
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - (Psalm 139:23-24)
READ: Matthew 7:21-23
It is one thing to stand for Jesus, and it is another to keep standing for Him until the end. To stand in Christ until the end requires God's help (Jude 1:24), and you must consistently enquire from Him to know how you are standing. (2 Corinthians 10:18) says:
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Many people commend themselves based on their own standards, when, in truth, they have already fallen. God knows those who are still standing in Him; His foundation is sure and He will not allow anyone build falsehood upon it (2 Timothy 2:19). Today's Bible reading tells us that on the last day, many people will approach God with confidence, thinking that they ought to be in heaven, but He will send them back and call them workers of iniquity. They will try to defend themselves using their own standards of judgment, which may include the wonderful works they did in God's name, but they will still be rejected.
Prophet Isaiah thought he was standing for God until he visited God's throne room and realised that he was a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Beloved, never assume that you are standing in Christ; consistently examine yourself by His standards to ensure that you are still in the faith. You can do this by constantly weighing your actions and attitudes against God's word. For example, how do you react when you are addressed in a manner you consider disrespectful? When people praise you, do you enjoy their praises and bask in pride, or are you quick to redirect them to God, the giver of the gifts you are being praised for? When there is an opportunity to serve, do you avoid it and demand to be served because of your position and achievements, or do you quickly humble yourself, as Jesus did, to serve others? Would you rather have things your way all the time or allow the Holy Spirit to have His way? God's word is the mirror with which you can always check whether you are standing in Him or not.
James 1:23-25 urges us not to be hearers of God's word alone, but also doers. Don't be like a man who sees his blemishes in the mirror and fails to correct them. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the areas you are not walking as uprightly as He desires, so that you can make necessary adjustments immediately.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to stand in You until the very end.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 4-5
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS 3
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. - (Luke 6:12)
READ: Matthew 26:37-41
This statement 'A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian' is not a direct quote from the Bible, but I have found it to be very accurate. If you don't make prayer your lifestyle, you will be too weak to overcome the devil's temptations when they come. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus told His disciples:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Some people claim that they want to live above temptations, but they always find themselves failing. If you check carefully, many individuals who face this challenge often have a weak prayer life. Even though they desire to live a holy life, they are too weak to withstand the devil's temptations because they are not prayerful. For example, Peter failed to pray sufficiently at the Garden of Gethsemane, so it was not surprising that he denied Jesus three times after he had claimed that he was willing to die with Him. If Jesus had not prayed for Peter, the devil would have succeeded in sifting him away (Luke 22:31-32,39-46).
As a Christian, you must gather strength in the place of prayer to remain standing when temptation arises. Proverbs 24:10 says that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. People who sleep when they ought to pray will faint in the day of adversity because they didn't build strength in the day of peace. Every human being will face a day of adversity. Jesus faced His at Golgotha, but He was well prepared for it. Before His crucifixion, He prayed intensely to the point that His sweat was as great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Therefore, when Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and the other disciples deserted Him, He responded with love and kindness. Even when He was crucified, He asked God to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 22:34). Only someone who has developed spiritual strength and stamina in the days of peace can respond like Jesus did in the day of adversity.
Beloved, do you know why Apostle Paul urged you to pray without ceasing in (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? It is because you have a relentless foe, the devil, who will tempt you without ceasing. However, being a prayerful Christian will give you a constant edge over him and ensure that you are not caught unawares in any way. Like the apostles in Acts 6:4, give yourself continually to prayer. May the Almighty God continue to strengthen you, in Jesus' name.
ACTION POINT:
Take time to assess your current prayer life and commit to making the necessary adjustments where needed.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 64-66
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
HE WHO THINKS HE STANDS 1
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. - (Luke 11:35)
READ: 1 Timothy 4:13-16
(1 Corinthians 10:12) says that any man who thinks he is standing should take heed, or else he will fall. That tells us that a person can be standing today and fall tomorrow if he or she is not careful. Overconfidence can make someone who has been standing in the Lord for a long time fall. In my 53-year walk with God, I have witnessed many people fall due to overconfidence. They believe that because they have been standing in the Lord for a long time, they are now above certain temptations, and typically, such a mindset would make them careless.
As a Christian, the devil is watching you at all times; if you become careless in any area, he can use that to bring you down. I have heard some men of God boast that they can be in the same room with a naked woman, and nothing will happen. My question is, why is a man of God in a room with a naked woman that isn't his wife in the first place? If a man of God puts himself in such a position, he is already on the verge of falling. I always tell my children that under no circumstances should a man have a female secretary or personal assistant. This is because the man will spend long hours working with the fellow, possibly into the night at times. If such a man places so much confidence in his ability to resist temptation, it may eventually become his undoing.
Overconfidence has also led many people to ignore the basics of their salvation. For example, some ministers of God believe that some Bible study meetings are now beneath them because of their anointing. Some others believe that they don't need to listen or take notes when someone they consider to be below them in hierarchy is preaching. Some even hold other meetings during praise and worship sessions. Actions like these show overconfidence and often lead to a fall.
Beloved, never allow yourself to become overconfident in your walk with God. Do not let any exploits that you may have done in the past distract you from following the basics of your salvation. You can never outgrow walking circumspectly, studying the word of God, fasting, and fellowshipping with other believers. No matter your level of growth in the Lord, you can't outgrow these things. I pray that the Almighty God will keep you standing in Him unto the end of your race here on earth, in Jesus' name.
KEY POINT:
No one can ever outgrow the basics of salvation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 1-3
Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye
TOPIC: OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS 1
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. - (2 Peter 3:18)
READ: Titus 2:11-12, Hebrews 2:17-18
Yesterday, I discussed how you can avoid temptations by staying away from people, things, or places that may tempt you, and generally fleeing every appearance of evil. I also established the fact that everyone will be tempted at one point or another, as Jesus Christ Himself was tempted in all points (Hebrews 4:15). Today, I will explain how you can overcome temptations, just as Jesus overcame all the temptations that came His way.
The first thing you must take note of is that God will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. - (1 Corinthians 10:13)
When a temptation comes your way, you must know that you already have the strength that is needed to overcome it. The reason people fall to temptations is that they do not use the strength that God has made available to them. They place great focus on the shiny things the devil is tempting them with instead of the strength and grace that God has given them to overcome such temptations.
A man of God once came to me and said, "Daddy, I don't know why I keep falling into adultery with some girls in my church. I usually don't know what I am doing until I am through with the act." I responded to him, saying, "While you are about to remove your clothes, you know that you want to do something bad, but instead of stopping you decide to focus on the 'pleasure' the devil is putting in front of you instead of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit that is telling you to stop in that moment. Sometimes you even go as far as locking the door to ensure that even if God wants to send someone in to stop you, it will not work. That is why you always fall. Listen to the Holy Spirit anytime He says, 'Stop.'"
Beloved, use the grace that God has made available to His children to stop them from falling into temptation. There is always a way out of temptation; listen to the Holy Spirit, and take the way He shows you. Do not let the devil have victory over your soul.
KEY POINT:
Always use the grace that God has provided for you to overcome temptations.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 57-59
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E A ADEBOYE