Open Heaven 17 February 2023 TOPIC: You Are Above Death.
MEMORISE: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” – 1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)
READ: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (KJV)
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 25-26
MESSAGE:
When you are a child of God, even when walking in the valley of the shadow of death, you will have nothing to fear because the Lord of hosts is with you (Psalm 23:4). The Bible says in John 11:25:
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Once you become a child of God, death is no longer something to fear. In fact, it becomes something you look forward to because if Jesus tarries, it would be your passage into heaven where you will be with your Master, without pain or sorrow. Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
My fear of death vanished completely from observing my Father-in-the-Lord – Pa Josiah Akindayomi (the founder of The Redeemed Christian Church of God) and his friend, sending messages to each other back and forth. One would say, “I will die before you” and the other one would reply, “No, I will surely go before you”. These two men were talking about death like someone talks about going to the market. When you are truly redeemed and know that death is only your visa into great bliss and glory, you will live above it.
Beloved, I banish every fear of death in your life, in Jesus’ name. From today, you will live above death, in Jesus’ name. I want you to note however, that if you are not truly born again, if you still have pending restitutions to make, if Jesus is not truly your Lord and Saviour, then you should be afraid of death, because it would then be a visa for you to spend eternity in the lake of fire.
If you are not yet born again, please say this prayer:
Lord Jesus, I invite You into my life as my Lord and Saviour and ask for the grace never to commit sin again, to be qualified to be with You in heaven when I leave this earth. Thank you Lord, in Jesus’ name I have prayed.
Congratulations! Now look for a Bible-believing Church near you to attend regularly.
KEY POINT:
Once you become a child of God, death is no longer something to fear.
HYMN 5: Blessed Assurance
1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.
2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight,
Angels descending, bring from above;
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blessed,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
