OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 12TH JUNE 2017

THEME: DON'T BE A PREY!

Memorise:

Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Proverbs 7:23

Read: Proverbs 7:7-23

7:7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

7:8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

7:11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

7:12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and l have found thee.

7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

7:20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

7:21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

7:23 Tlll a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

MESSAGE

A negative experience many people have had to contend with is captivity. Captivity can mean bondage, slavery, imprisonment, detention or a lack of freedom. Captivity also comes in various forms. It can occur as a consequence of being captured in a battle, like it happened to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 1:1-7). In this particular case, King Nebuchadnezzar invaded the nation of Israel and carried away some of the people into captivity. From that moment, these captives became slaves in a foreign land. Similarly, some people enter into captivity by falling into a trap set by the enemy. For instance, in Judges 16:14-15, the lords of the Philistines used a beautiful woman as bait for Samson. Today, there are several 'hunters' of destiny and life all around, setting all kinds of traps to get their prey. May you never be one of their victims!

One common trap people fall into today is the trap of adultery and fornication. The devil has several agents and means to use as bait, and believe it or not, he catches a lot of prey. He may use beautiful ladies like he did to Samson. Today's Bible reading describes how a prostitute sets a trap and catches her victim. She could use her seductive attire which reveals her curves and exposes sensitive parts of her body. She could also use her sweet flattering words, seductive make-up, perfumes or gait just to get her prey. When he finally yields, she leads him like an ox to the slaughter slab. Proverbs 7:23 says
''Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”

Anyone being lured or enticed into lust should realise that it can never really be for his or her own good. Today, several female students have become easy prey for sugar daddies and evil Hot lecturers because they erroneously think that they are getting something of value in return. How much can a man pay you to allow him to destroy your destiny or kill you? What score will a lecturer award you in exchange for your life? The victims of lust, immorality and adultery are really trading their precious lives for pittance. Are you in the captivity of adultery, thinking it benefits you because you are getting rapid promotion in your place of work? Don't be deceived! You are truly paying with your life! Repent, come to Jesus and cut off all hunters from your life! Break that relationship if your partner is pressurising you for sex as a basis for friendship. It is not worth it! Ask God to deliver you from every trap of the devil.

Prayer Point:

Father, deliver all our children, teens and youths from sexual immorality.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 20-21
Jeremiah 48:9-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: ( Monday, June 12, 2017) - DON’T BE A PREY!
1.Thank you, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for sparing my life to witness today.
2.Thank you, Father, for where you started with me, thank you for where l am, and thank you for where you are taking me.
3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me; and grant me the grace to reign with you, in eternity, in Jesus' name.
4.Father, deliver me from every captivity and bondage of slavery, spiritual detention and imprisonment, lack and poverty, sickness and diseases, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, let every Delilah that has been assigned to frustrate your grace and your anointing upon my life, be frustrated and disgraced, in Jesus' name.
6.I reject every bait, offer or proposal, being dangled before me, by the devil, in order to destroy my testimony and the anointing of God upon my life, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, arise, and let your fire consume and scatter every trap, set for me, by the enemies, in Jesus' name.
8.I resist and come against every attempt of Satan to lure me, into the sin of fornication and adultery, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, let every evil arrow and fiery darts of the enemies, targeted against my life, ministry and family, go back to the sender, in Jesus' name.
10.I decree that l shall not die, but live, to declare the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, deliver all our children, teens and youths from sexual immorality, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation