OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL-FRIDAY-04/03/2016-THE
SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE-BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE
Memorise
For to one is given by the Spirit the
word of wisdom; to another the word
Of knowledge by the same Spirit. 1st Corinthians 12:8
Read
Daniel 6:1-3,
1 It pleased Darius to set over
the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole
kingdom;
2 And
over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might
give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then
this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole
realm.
KJV
MESSAGE
One of the gems that made Joshua took over
the mantle of leadership from his master was the excellent spirit he carried.
Joshua excelled in all matters that most of his age mates and contemporaries.
Those who remain in the crowd cannot become excellent in life, because
excellence is a private matter, but with a public pronouncement. The spirit of
excellence will never permit you to do things at a level which others are
comfortable with. You cannot be flocking around the multitude and achieve
greatness in life and ministry. This is why Jesus was always withdrawing His
disciples to Himself at the point of every exploit. He did not want them to be
carried away with the songs of the crowd. He knew the crowd well and he knew
that those who were shouting “hail hail” be the ones to say “crucify Him” the
next day. Excellence is necessary for anyone to become a useful vessel in the
hands of the Almighty God. Excellence is what releases the gem in a man’s life
and makes him the envy of his generation. The spirit of Excellence is a crucial
requirement for being useful and relevant in the scheme of things. It is what puts
you on edge in God’s programme and makes you a formidable force.
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and
hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows.”
Hebrews 1:9
Exploits in
life have never been a function of a higher educational qualification or
popularity; it is through the spirit of excellence. When you carry the presence
of God, it releases the spirit of excellence in you which in turn gives you the
wisdom to access the mysteries of life. The presence of God gives you deep
insight and wisdom for every difficult situation of life and makes you become a
master over situations and circumstances through His presence. You cannot have
an excellent spirit and lack understanding. Your level of knowledge will begin
to command the attention of all and sundry as we saw when the Queen of Sheba
came visiting King Solomon.
Excellence is a goal, so you have to strive
for it. Excellence is the attainment of the highest level of perfection in
anything you do. It means operating in a class of your own. Those who do things
the way others do them cannot become excellent. You have to be willing to go the extra mile.
You have to identify your goal and begin to pursue it with vigour. Joseph
understood this early and it worked continuously for him until he becomes a
reference point in a strange land. Daniel understood this early and he focused
on it and remained a formidable force in the reign of three kings. The kings
were leaving him behind, but the grace of God upon his life made him relevant
under different circumstances. The spirit of excellence will help you to
concentrate on your assignment until you become a standard.
However, this spirit can only come from God. If you
don’t know God, there is no way you can do exploits (Daniel 11:32). I pray that
from this moment, as you surrender totally to God, you will begin to experience
the miraculous in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point
Father, remove every hindrance on my way to greatness in Jesus’ name.
Bible in one year
John 10:22-12:19, Job 31:29-40
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