ESOCS Devotional 6 February 2021
TEXT: LUKE 3:15-22
MEMORY VERSE: “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened.” Luke 3:21
There are four occasions in scripture we find where the phrase “heaven was opened” (Acts 7:56), “saw heaven opened” (Acts 10:11), and “saw heaven open” (Rev. 19:11). These were respectively during the occasion of: Jesus praying by the River Jordan immediately after His baptism; Stephen saw the heaven open while preaching to the multitude; Peter in a trance saw heaven opened while praying on the roof top of Simon’s house at Joppa; and John, while in the Isle of Patmos obviously praying, saw the heaven opened with great revelations.
Many were baptized on the day that Jesus was baptized. They confessed their sins and prayed, but when He prayed the heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended. Prayer is obviously a means to open heavens. But even on the day of baptism, how many new converts truly dedicate their pre-baptismal and post-baptismal hours to serious prayers for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The need for this cannot be overemphasized as water baptism minus the baptism of the Holy Ghost avails little. John the Baptist emphasized this when he said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire” (Matt. 3:11).
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Open heaven depicts the nearness of heaven to earth, the nearness of God’s presence and His glory to men, the rare privilege for a mortal man to catch a glimpse of heaven in a vision. It also speaks of material favours and blessings abundantly poured from God to a person. One thing is certain, prayer is a sure vehicle to open heaven. Other vehicles include: devotion, evangelism (as Stephen was engaged in), giving of alms, obedience to God’s commands and instructions, fasting and prayer, the fear of God, etc.
The Lord grant us the grace to take a glimpse of heaven, a glimpse of His throne with the Cherubim and Seraphim around Him, a glimpse of inapproachable light, of inexpressible splendour. It is such a bliss.
CHALLENGES
What other vehicles can bring about open heavens? List them and practice them with faith.
PRAYER POINT
Ask God to reveal Himself and heaven to you more and more.
FURTHER READING: Matthew 3:11-17; Acts 10:1-11; Revelation 19:11
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 6 February 2021
