OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 SUNDAY: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT III

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 MEMORIZE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 BIBLE READING Jude 1-24

[1]Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
[2]Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
[3]Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
[4]For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
[5]I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
[6]And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
[7]Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
[8]Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
[9]Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
[10]But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
[11]Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
[12]These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
[13]Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
[14]And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
[15]To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
[16]These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
[17]But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
[18]How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
[19]These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
[20]But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
[21]Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
[22]And of some have compassion, making a difference:
[23]And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
[24]Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 MESSAGE

Our memory verse of today reveals another very important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer – preserving us unto the day of redemption.

The day of redemption’ in the memory verse is talking of the ultimate redemption when we safely arrive in the Kingdom of God.

The reason is that there is no eternal assurance that once you are saved, you are forever saved. There are examples of people who started well but ended badly.

For instance, after King Saul was ordained by Samuel, he prophesied and the people asked: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 10:11).

Unfortunately, after King Saul got into trouble for disobeying divine instructions, he went after a familiar spirit. (1 Samuel 28:7) says:

“Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.“

King Saul did this despite the fact that the Bible says in Isaiah 65:24:
“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.“

In John 16:7-14, we see that the Holy Spirit guides us into all – not some – truth.

Many things we ought to know about God, our Saviour, ourselves, the written word of God, the devil, the world in which we live, and so on are explained to us by the Holy Spirit.

We cannot gain an understanding of God without the Holy Spirit. The word of God would be ordinary literature without the Holy Spirit’s illumination.

The Bible says in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come.

The spiritual decadence in the end-time Church has been foretold by the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

It is a pity, however, that some children of God are not taking advantage of the Holy Spirit’s guidance to keep us from falling. May you not fall, in Jesus’ name.

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 PRAYER POINT: Prayer Points For Open Heavens 15 July 2023

Holy Spirit Divine, please keep me to the uttermost end. Help me to finish well and strong, in the mighty name of Jesus.

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 HYMN

HYMNAL: 8 – I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

REFRAIN:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee!

2. I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy one;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son!

OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 4-8

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE