Open Heaven Tuesday 24 June 2025 Daily Devotional Message Written By Pastor E.A Adeboye
TOPIC: Fear God Alone (1)
MEMORISE
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: – Romans 13:3
READ: Acts 12:1-11
12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
Open Heaven Tuesday 24 June 2025 – MESSAGE
The Bible says clearly in today’s memory verse that if you do the right things, you should not be afraid of the government or their agencies. For instance, when a driver becomes afraid on seeing a traffic official, it is most likely that he or she has done something critical or committed a traffic offence. If you fidget when you learn that tax officials are coming to meet you, it probably means that you have been robbing the government, and Jesus said in Matthew 22:21 that you should give to Ceasar (the government) what belongs to Ceasar. Rather than being afraid, why not just do the right thing? Stay in the right and do good so that you will never be afraid of government officials.
In certain regions, some people are afraid of government officials, not because they are guilty of any wrongdoing, but because of racism or oppression. If a government official decides to use his or her authority to terrorise you, don’t be afraid of such a person. Rather, take the matter to God, and He will fight for you. You must, however, have built a culture of depending on God before trouble comes.
Many years ago, I heard that the military government that was ruling my country at the time was planning to arrest me because the head of the government was told by his spiritualists that my prayers were hindering their selfcentred agenda for the country. At first, I was afraid, but that night, I handed the matter over to God, and in less than one week, the government official who wanted to kill me was dead. If you fear God and always do the right things, He will fight for you.
In Daniel 3:16, the three Hebrew boys defied the evil order of the king, and God protected them from his wrath. God protected them because they chose to fear Him and not man. When Herod began to terrorise the church, killing James and imprisoning Peter, the Christians began to pray without ceasing. Their prayers worked great wonders; Peter was freed miraculously on the eve of the day he was to be executed, and Herod was later eaten by worms (Acts 12:1-23).
Beloved, please stay away from anything that will put you in a position of being afraid of the government. However, if you have not done anything wrong and a government official decides to terrorise you for whatever reason, simply hand him or her over to God, and He will surely protect you.
KEY POINT:
As long as you fear God and keep doing the right things, you don’t have to fear any other person, organisation, or government.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Psalms 107-111
HYMN 19
ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME
1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.
2 Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law’s demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
3 Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
4 While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
RCCG Open Heaven Devotional Tuesday 24 June 2025 Reading 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.