OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 31st AUGUST 2015

THEME: PRAYER NEUTRALISES FEAR

Memorise:
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Read: Luke 1:5-13
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Message
Prayer unleashes great possibilities to anyone who is given to it. Looking at the experience of Zacharias in today's Bible reading, we can see some of the things made possible through prayer. First, when you pray, you attract angelic visitations into your situation. In other words, prayer brings the supernatural into the natural. Any time you are tired of the ordinary, pray, and you will see the supernatural. Are you tired of seeing ordinary results? Pray, and you will soon receive results that are beyond your imagination.

In addition, when you pray, your fear is substituted with calmness. Prayer causes fear to dissipate, because it is linked with faith, just as fear is linked with unbelief. While intensive prayers were going on in the temple, Zacharias heard an angel say "Fear not". When you hear "fear not", don't jump up in excitement until you have found out the source of that command. For instance, if a man tells you not to be afraid, there may still be reasons to accommodate some elements of fear, because of man's several limitations; but if God tells you not to be afraid, then you can rest assured there is nothing to fear.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16

Are you afraid? Pray! As you engage the prayer gear, boldness will surge into you, and before long, fear would have disappeared. If you are constantly tormented by fear, it is an indication of the absence of an effective prayer life. If you pray often, you will always be looking up at the sunny side of life. You will be optimistic. You will have hope for the future and easily accept that your tomorrow will be alright. On the other hand, if you seldom pray, you will always see the bleak side of life. You will be easily discouraged. You will be full of fear, worry and anxiety. You will equally be filled with suspicion. With fear in your heart, it will almost be impossible to do what you should do, go where you should go and be all you were created to be. Fear paralyses, don't give room to it.

Key Point:
Prayerlessness ensnares the prayerless fellow in the trap of fear. Only a fervent, vibrant and consistent prayer life can set him free.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 1-3
Romans 3:9-31
AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE