Open Heaven 25 December 2024 – The Reason For His Birth (3)

TOPIC: The Reason For His Birth (3)

MEMORISE:
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16 (KJV)

Also Read: Open Heaven 26 December 2024 – The Reason For His Birth (4)

READ: Galatians 4:5-7 (KJV)
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelation 4-7

Open Heaven 25 December 2024 MESSAGE

Over the last two days, I’ve been discussing the reason for the birth of Jesus Christ, and today, I want to take this revelation a bit further. Before the birth of Christ, the Holy Spirit only came upon certain individuals, chosen by God for a specific purpose. However, after Jesus Christ came to earth and ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every believer (John 14:16-17). This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 that “the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist who was the greatest of all the prophets before Him.”

What does this really mean for us? It means that you, as a believer, are now greater than Elijah, a man who called down fire from heaven at will. Why? Because the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ paved the way for God to send His own Spirit to live inside of you. Isn’t that amazing? Now, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you can be like Him—both in word and in deed.

As a child of God, you carry God’s presence inside you, and this means that you are no longer an ordinary human being. You are now the temple of the living God.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16

As the temple of God, it means that whatever is incompatible with God should not be found in you. Elisha, for instance, may have died from sickness in his old age (2 Kings 13:14), but because you are carrying God’s Spirit inside you, sickness has no place in your body. Moses may have struggled with anger, and that issue led to his inability to enter the promised land, but you, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can overcome such weaknesses. You bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and no negative habits or limitations should hold you back.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:4,
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

You are an overcomer because the Almighty God Himself resides inside of you. Romans 8:37 assures us:
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

No matter what challenges the devil throws your way, as long as the Holy Spirit is living inside you, victory is inevitable. Never give in to fear; remember that the Almighty God Himself is dwelling within you, and since He can never lose a battle, you too will triumph in every area of life, always.

Open Heaven 25 December 2024 PRAYER POINT
Thank You, Jesus, for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell inside me.

Open Heaven 25 December 2024 HYMN 27 – 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!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O 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 your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you;
You will find a solace there.

The Open Heavens 2024 Daily Devotional guide is written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of the largest evangelical churches in the world, and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms, including iOS, Android, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and PC.