Open Heaven 1 July 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye
Prev: Open Heaven 30 June 2019
TOPIC: Backsliding: A Negative Rebirth
MEMORISE:
“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” – (Proverbs 14:14).
READ: Daniel 4:28-33 (KJV)
28. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31. While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
MESSAGE:
The spiritual regeneration experience can either be positive or negative. The type that Jesus recommended to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 is the positive kind. Describing it, the Holy Spirit says in (2 Corinthians 5:17):
“Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away behold all things are become new.”
However, there is also the negative kind of rebirth. When a person filled with good works turns around and begins to behave badly, such a person is manifesting the symptoms of negative rebirth. The bible refers to this as ‘backsliding’. According to today’s memory verse, a backslider begins to behave abnormally, exalting personal satisfaction against God’s will.
Open Heaven 1 July 2019 – Backsliding: A Negative Rebirth
King Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation in today’s bible reading demonstrate what negative rebirth is all about. In the twinkling of an eye, he changed from a royal majesty to an animal to the extent that he began to graze like cattle! When a child of God suddenly develop an appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, pornography or extramarital affair, he or she has experience a negative rebirth. Don’t be surprise therefore when you see holiness preachers of yesteryears begin to say that holiness is an illusion; they have undergone a negative rebirth. Are you in a backsliding state? My prayer for you is that Almighty God will restore you, and every satanic appetite for sin shall vanish from your life today in Jesus’ Name.
Why did Nebuchadnezzar experience a negative rebirth? The answer lies in Daniel 4:27 – he refused to take heed when God’s prophet warned him to turn from his wicked ways. It is amazing that in spite of the miracles Nebuchadnezzar experienced, including seeing the Son of God walking around in the fiery furnace, he continued to be arrogant before the God of heaven (Daniel 3:22-25). In like manner, is it not surprising that in spite of the reality of HIV/AIDS, some people still practice prostitution and still have people patronizing them? It is very disheartening when one sees Christians or ministers going back to there vomit and engaging in sexual immorality and fraudulent practices. Are you one of those people, God is saying to you today in Ezekiel 18:31:
“Cast away from all your transgression whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die O house of Israel?”
It is time for you to repent so that times of refreshing can be poured on your life (Acts 3:19).
ACTION POINT:
Examine your life today and see where you need positive rebirth through genuine repentance. If the Lord is speaking to you on this matter, go ahead and repent without further delay.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 7-8, Ezekiel 8:7-18
HYMNAL:
Hymn 9 – In Christ alone
1. In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song,
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
2. In Christ alone! Who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on the cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.
3. There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4. No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
Open Heaven 1 July 2019 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.