The theme for Open Heaven Daily Devotional October 19 2023 is You Must Grow Spiritually 1”
SCRIPTURE: “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God“. Luke 9:62
After you have become born again for a while, the devil will try to test your faith. It is as you overcome these challenges and remain standing that you become mature in the things of God.
At this stage, you would no longer be satisfied with the milk of God’s word; now, you would desire strong meat. A mature Christian wants to go deeper and not remain in the shallow waters of the word and ways of God.
Newly born again Christians, also referred to as ‘baby Christians’ must grow to the point where they can face trials and remain standing in Christ.
Every Christian has low moments when the flesh seems to be rising above the spirit-periods when he or she could fall into sin if care is not taken.
In such a period, someone who has been in Christ for a while but hasn’t been feeding on the word of God constantly is likely to fall. Proverbs 24:10 says:
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” The day of adversity will definitely come, but what will keep you standing is how much strength you gathered before that period.
How much of God’s word have you been consuming? How much praying have you been doing? How deeply rooted have you been in the things of God?
These are the things that will go a long way in determining whether you will remain standing in the day of adversity.
Know that the more mature you get, the bigger the adversity the devil is likely to bring your way, but we find solace in 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says:
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Thus, if a trial made you turn your back on God, it is not that trial really that brought you down, but rather your weakness in spiritual things.
Jesus Christ said in our memory verse that if any man lays his hand on the plough and turns back, then he is not fit for the Kingdom of God.
You have already laid your hands on the plough; build up your faith by engaging in spiritual activities like praying, Bible study, fellowshipping with other believers and so on. All these are required to enable you stand when the day of adversity comes.
Beloved, if you keep your Christian walk on a shallow level, you are likely to look back eventually and not make it to the Kingdom of God at the end of the day.
Open Heaven For Today 19 October 2023: Key Point
If you do not grow spiritually, you will not stand in the day of adversity.