OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2017
THEME: PRAYERLESSNESS DISALLOWED.
Memorise:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
Read: Mark 13:32-37
13:32 But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which
are in heaven, neither the Son, but the
Father.
13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is.
13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking
a far journey, who left his house, and gave
authority to his servants, and to every man
his work, and commanded the porter to
watch.
13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not
when the master of the house cometh, at
even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing,
or in the morning:
13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you
sleeping.
13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch.
Message:
Prayerlessness is a major challenge facing
contemporary believers. Many refused to
pray as they ought to because they have
become overconfident and proud. The more
you pray to God, the less dependent on
yourself you become. As young Christians,
some people prayed quite often. When they
became workers in God’s vineyard, they
sustained their prayer tempo, but the
moment they became pastors, their prayer-
life nosedived. Why the decline? It is because
such people began to believe that they could
now do things on their own. This is the
highway to ruin. Are you praying less after
God has elevated you spiritually? If your
answer is yes, check yourself very well, you
will discover that you now have more faith
in yourself to succeed by your effort than by
God’s support. This is one reason why God
keeps a distance from the proud: He knows
if He helps them achieve a feat, at the end,
they will not think twice before taking His
glory.
Besides pride, another reason for
prayerlessness is carelessness. In Matthew
26:41, Jesus said:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.”
Also, in Mark 13:32-37, the Lord emphasized
the need to watch. You cannot afford to be
careless. You can’t afford to be cold,
lukewarm or carefree in these days that we
live in. Praying goes along with watching.
You cannot pray effectively if you fail to
watch as well. If you watch effectively, it will
help to give your prayers direction. You will
know what trending issues to lift before
God’s throne. You will have some burdens in
the place of prayer that will only be lifted
after you have prayed through. Similarly, if
you watch as you should, you will be able to
relate events that are happening around you
with the second coming of Jesus Christ. If
you are keeping watch, you will be on your
guard and on your toes. If you watch, you
cannot be asleep. Beloved, this is not the
time to sleep but the time to be spiritually
awake, alert and prepared. This is the time
to pray about virtually everything that comes
across our path. It is a time to wholly
depend on God, who knows the way, to
show us the way in the midst of growing
confusion and evil spreading around the
world. Wake up! Fast more! Watch more!
May the Lord guide you in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point:
Father, please silence everything in me that
is working against me having an effective
prayer life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 1-3
Hosea 8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens:
(Tuesday, October 31, 2017) -
PRAYERLESSNESS DISALLOWED
1.Father, I acknowledge and confess, that,
without you, I can do nothing.
2.Father, I thank and give you glory for all
that your grace and power have helped me
to achieve, so far, in life.
3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of
your glory, please, have mercy and forgive
me, in Jesus' name.
4.Father, let every spirit of pride and
prayerlessness in my life, be consumed by
your fire, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, deliver me from the spirit of self
and complacency; please, empower me to
be fully dependent on you, for all my needs,
big or small, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, let all the activities and works of
the flesh, be destroyed in my life, and
strengthen my spirit and inner man, to pray,
without ceasing, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, keep me spiritually awake and alert
at all times; please, don't let me ever, sleep
the sleep of death, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, I confess, that, I don't know how
to pray, as I ought to; Holy Spirit, please, help
my infirmities to pray, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, please silence everything in me that
is working against me having an effective
prayer life.
10.Father, please, revive my prayer life; and,
give me the grace to pray more, to watch
more, and to fast more, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, please, keep me occupied till you
come, with things of eternal spiritual values,
only, 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

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