Open Heavens Devotional: SIN HINDERS PROMISES – Thursday 26 May 2011

By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

MEMORIZE: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:2).

READ: Genesis 39 :7-12

According to 2 Corinthians 1 :20 , God gives promises through His servants, but it takes connecting with God’s Son for such promises to be realized. Psalm 2 :12 says, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him”. Some people think they can go to God and lay claim to His promises without passing through Jesus Christ. In other words, they do not recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ as God the son. You cannot access God the father except through His son Jesus Christ. Also, it is not possible to fellowship with the Father when not in fellowship with the son. Hence, 1 John 2 :23 says, “ Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the father: ( but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also”. Having Jesus gives you access to both God the father and God the Holy Spirit. He is the access to the Godhead. It is through Jesus Christ that you access God’s Promises.

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). If you have not had a personal relationship with Jesus, you have not known the truth. As a result of the key role Jesus plays in releasing your blessings, you must do everything to avoid offending Him. No matter the temptation or situation, do all you can to remain in favour with the One who can bring God’s promises to pass. When Joseph was a slave, he was tempted to commit adultery. His temptation was quite different. It was intense, purposeful and compelling. It was sustained for a long period. Yet, Joseph persisted in holy living because he did not want to offend the One who alone can bring his dream into reality. Do you know that each time you sin as a believer, you introduce stumbling blocks in God’s path to fulfilling His promises in your life? And when this continues, it gets to a point where the promise is either completely lost or reversed like it happened to Elis’s family (1 Sam. 2 :30). Sin is terrible! It can make the One who said ‘Yes’ to say ‘No’. Hence, you must flee every appearance of sin.

KEY POINT: If you have any promise or prophecy from God you want fulfilled, you must have no pact whatsoever with sin. Avoid sin and every appearance of sin at all costs.

Bible in One year: Ezek. 37-39

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