OPEN HEAVENS: “PROVOKING SIGNS & WONDERS I”, WEDNESDAY 8TH JANUARY 2014
Memory Verse: John 11:40: “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
Read: Matthew 8:8-10.
Matthew 8:8-10:“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Message:
You must follow some spiritual principles if you want signs and wonders to become daily occurrences in your life. God is so generous to all that He has made it easy for all men to provoke His signs and wonders. Every record of signs and wonders in the Bible and in modern times can be traced to certain factors which were responsible for their occurrence. One of such factors is prayer. Prayers come in different forms. The prayer of the centurion is the model I want us to consider as a typical prayer that provokes signs and wonders. If there is an example of a prayer that was answered instantly with commendation, it is the prayer of the centurion. The prayer of this man made the wonder-working Saviour to marvel! This prayer manifests something I must draw your attention to: it was a prayer of humility. The man said: “I am not worthy”. When you listen to some people praying to God, you begin to wonder whether they are talking to their houseboy or maid. With every sense of arrogance, they begin to issue commands after listing the reasons for which they believe God must answer them! May your prayer-life receive a fresh sense of humility, coupled with an assurance that will provoke signs and wonders in Jesus’ Name.
Another spiritual principle that provokes signs and wonders is the principle of praise and worship. When I see some people who think they are too good to worship the King of kings I begin to wonder what they think themselves to be. Do you know that even if God wanted to say no to your request and you worship Him, the ‘no’ can become ‘yes’? The Syro-phoenician woman in Matthew 15:21-28: came to Jesus and said: “Have mercy on me; my daughter is grievously vexed of the devil”. Jesus didn’t answer her a word. This woman persisted in asking, yet Jesus seemed not to pay attention to her. He even said He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Bible says the woman came and worshipped Him saying: “I know I don’t qualify for a miracle but look at me, I am on my knees”. At the end of the day, she got her miracle. So when you hear me eulogising God with names such as: Rock of ages, Ancient of days, the Lion of the tribe of Judah etc, I know what I am doing. I am provoking signs and wonders. How many people get up in the morning and say: “THANK YOU LORD” on a daily basis? When you do so, you are provoking signs and wonders that will greet the day you are going into. As from today, learn how to use the weapons of prayer, praise and worship to provoke the needed signs and wonders in your life.
ACTION POINT
Before you begin to bombard God with your requests, thank Him, worship Him and praise Him for all His benefits you have received in the past.
Bible in one year: 1 Corinthians Chapter 8:1 Chapter 11:16; Psalm 9:11-20.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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