Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
MEMORIZE: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (Jn. 10:27).
READ: John 10:25-28
Our Lord Jesus Christ enjoins us to study Him. To do this, you must be able to give Him quality time. You must be focused and have listening ears. Revelation 2:7 says those with ears should put them to work. Your ears are not meant to adorn your head but to receive spoken words. Unfortunately, not everyone with ears effectively engages them. One thing that differentiates a sheep from a goat is that the former hears the shepherd and follows Him (John 10:27). One thing that can heighten the fullness of your joy, which Psalm 16:11 talks of, is the ability to hear God speak to you. You cannot buy this with money. The first time I heard God’s voice, I was filled with unspeakable joy. Hearing God’s voice marks a turning point in the life of the hearer. Until that day in my life, I had several personal vigils during which I told God I did not want to be an ordinary minister. I wanted Him to use me mightily. This continued for six months. Then one night, the Lord said to me, “Shut up!” When I heard that, you cannot imagine my joy, because at last, the jinx of silence was broken. To me, it did not matter that the answer I got appeared like ‘Stop making noise’. At least we were now talking.
The Lord asked, “What have you done with the power I had given you?” I replied, “If you have given me power I would not be asking for power all these past months”. Then He said, “Have you not been baptized in the Holy Spirit? Go ahead and use that power”. From that day, I resolved to lay hands on anyone who came my way. The first beneficiary was a member of our church who came with her child that had not slept for two weeks. Doctors had given up on the baby. When they brought the baby, I was a little scared, but when the Holy Spirit reminded me of my resolve the previous night, I finally yielded. I look the baby, closed my eyes and began to pray. Then the baby went limp. I thought he was dead but he has only fallen asleep. That was the end of the problem! If you have not been hearing God’s voice, from today, the Lord will speak to you in clear terms. However, what effort are you making in order to hear His voice? Close up every gap between you and God today! Are you a hearing sheep?
ACTION POINT
Spend quality time seeking his direction on important issues in your life.
Bible in One year: Jas. 3-5
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