Open Heaven 30 JANUARY 2023 Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Topic: BEWARE OF GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL 

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

Open Heavens 2023
Date: 2023-01-30
Topic: BEWARE OF GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL

Memory Verse: Ezekiel 14:3 – Son o man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Bible Reading: Numbers 22:21-22

Message: Many a time when we have a plan, we present it to God and He says, “No way”. We then say, “I know how to twist God’s hand”. We begin to fast, pray, seek His face and then finally, we come round and say, “Lord, what about that plan?” He could then say, “Go ahead”. You had better not go anywhere. As children of God, it is our duty to obey Him promptly and completely at all times.

In our Bible reading for today, a king asked Prophet Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam asked God and He said, “No”. The king then sent some other people to tell Balaam that he would promote and enrich him if he would curse Israel. Balaam then decided to check back with God and the Lord said, “Okay, if you want to go, go”. On the way, God sent an angel to block his way. It was Balaam’s donkey that saw the angel; the Prophet, blinded by greed, couldn’t even see what a donkey could. Whenever you are so interested in something that you manage to ‘twist God’s hand’ to permit you to have it, you would be blinded by it and may run into serious trouble because of your inability to see clearly and objectively. If you do a little research to trace the history of Balaam, you would see that he ended up dying by the sword.

One area where Christians often pursue God’s permissive will is in marriage and many of them have regretted it afterwards. The fact that God allowed Hagar to give birth when Abraham went in unto her while Sarah was considered barren does not mean that the latter was the one through whom God’s covenant with Abraham would come to pass (Genesis 17:21).

It doesn’t matter how good the permissive will looks, you better go for God’s express will. Sister, that young man you like may be more financially secure than the one God says you should choose; don’t be fooled by today, God knows tomorrow, and He is instructing you based on that knowledge.

Ask the Lord to reveal His express will to you, because if you ‘twist His arm’ so you can have things your way, the end may be bitter.

Points: Don’t go to God insisting on your own plan; He may permit it, but you may regret it.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 8, Leviticus 9, Leviticus 10

Title: When We Walk with the Lord.
Chorus: Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey..

  1. When we walk with the Lord, 

In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all
who will trust and obey.

  2. Not a shadow can rise, 

Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while
we trust and obey.

  3. Not a burden we bear, 

Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest
if we trust and obey

  4. But we never can prove

The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows
And the joy He bestows
Are for them
who will trust and obey.

  5. Then in fellowship sweet

We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk
by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens 2023 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

ALSO READ: CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ⊗ OPEN HEAVEN ⊗ JOEL OSTEEN DEVOTIONAL⊗ ABOVE ONLY ⊗ OUR DAILY BREAD ⊗ SEEDS OF DESTINY ⊗ JOYCE MEYER DEVOTIONAL ⊗ RHAPSODY OF REALITIES ⊗ JOHN HAGEE ⊗ MFM DAILY DEVOTIONAL ⊗ DCLM DAILY MANNA ⊗ JOHN PIPER DEVOTIONAL ⊗ UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST