03/04/2023
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY APRIL 4TH 2023
THEME: FIGHTING ON GOD'S SIDE
MEMORISE: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4
READ: Numbers 16:23 -34
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congreg*tion, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congreg*tion, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they g*t up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congreg*tion.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
MESSAGE
To further our discussion from yesterday on the dangers of fighting against God, let us look at what happens when you are fighting on His side.
When you decide to fight on the side of God, no matter how big or strong your enemy is, you will win. It doesn't matter if you are fighting against enemies within your household or those outside - as long as you are on the side of God, they cannot defeat you.
The beautiful thing about standing on somebody's side is that the fellow is also standing beside you, so if any enemy sends an arrow to you, such a person is also sending to God. That is why no weapon fashioned against you can prosper (Isaiah 54:17). When you are on God's side, no enemy can defeat you.
In 1 Samuel 17:34-37, David talked about how he had killed a lion and a bear and that he would kill Goliath because God was with him. King Saul then said to him, "Go, and the Lord be with you.". The boy defeated Goliath with just a stone because God was on his side and he was on God's side (1 Samuel 17:44-50)
In Joshua 10:1-14, God was on Joshua's side because Joshua was on His side. Joshua stopped the sun so that he could defeat all his enemies. When you fight the battle of life on God's side, victory is sure. It doesn't matter what comes your way, greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Jesus Christ assured us in John 16:33:
“These things l have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; l have overcome the world.”
Jesus has overcome the world, so your victory is guaranteed once you are on His side and the first step to ensuring this is to surrender your life to Him.
KEY POINT
Those who are on the side of God are victors in the battles of life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2Samuel 12-13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
1. Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See his banners go!
[Chorus]
Onward, Christian soldiers!Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
2. At the sign of triumph
Satan’s host doth flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory.
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.
3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the Saints have trod.
We are not divided;
All one body we:
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.
4. Onward, then, ye people;
Join our happy throng.
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song:
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ, the King.
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.
