OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 23RD MARCH 2021.
THEME: SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING II.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Blessed are The Pure in Heart: for they shall see God. “ Matthew 5:8
BIBLE READING: Matthew7: 17-18
17• Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18• A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
MESSAGE:
A. A major sign of backsliding is when you discover that your mind is constantly filled with immoral thoughts.
1• A backsliding believer would have all manner of sinful thoughts flow through his or her mind.
2• When David backslid, he cried to God for restoration, saying: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”Psalm 51 :10
3• His heart had become dirty. He discovered that immoral thoughts now filled his heart.
4• When you begin to harbour immoral thoughts or suddenly become comfortable in revealing clothes, it is a sign that your heart is far from God. 5• In the past, nobody would need to point out a harlot or a thug, they would be easily identified by their dressing.
6• These days, we have professing Christians who dress like harlots and thugs.
7• When a person backslides, all of a sudden, God seems to be very far from the fellow.
B. Don’t blame GOD; His Word says: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, Ye double minded. “ James 4:8
1• When you are no longer intimate with God, what do you expect Him to do?
2• David cried in Psalm 51:11 :
“Cast me not away from Thy Presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.”
3• When Jesus bore the sins of the world on The Cross, He had to cry out: ••• My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Mark15:34
4• God moved away because in Habakkuk 1:13 He says “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness… “
5• God would also depart from any believer who harbors iniquity.
6• The Holy Spirit cannot stay with someone who is frolicking with sin; He is the Holy Spirit, not an unholy spirit.
C. When You stop Reading your Bible daily!
1• When You stop Praying!
2• When You stop witnessing! 3•When You Reduce your attendance of fellowships!
4• Then You are drawing far from God.
5• This is the beginning of backsliding and it won’t be long before sin creeps in.
6• Are any of these signs of backsliding evident in your life? 7• Address them today.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please whatever is drawing me far from You, Please remove it from my life today. If I am holding on to it too much, remove it by force, in The Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!