OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL-SUNDAY-09/10/2016-I MUST DECREASE-BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
I MUST DECREASE
Memorise
He must
increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
Read
John
3:25-30;
25 Then
there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about
purifying.
26 And
they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond
Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men
come to him.
27 John
answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from
heaven.
28 Ye
yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent
before him.
29 He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which
standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice:
this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He
must increase, but I must decrease.
KJV
MESSAGE
For Jesus
Christ to be fully formed in us, we must learn the secret of reducing our
carnal nature to the level of divine approval. In Colossians 3:5-6, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ said:
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the
earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate, affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh
on the children of disobedience.”
When a person
is born, he is born loaded with traits that are in enmity with God and
consequently brings His wrath. Another apostle of Christ lists some things that
make a typical fallen man; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the
pride of life (1st John 2:15).
These are the sins into which the first man and woman fell and we inherited. We
must get rid of them if we want Christ to be fully formed in us. The pride of
life is a subtle and complex sin for many reasons. Firstly, the proud will
never accept that he is proud; this makes the sin very complex until the power
of regeneration comes upon the individual. He surrenders his life to Christ for
total deliverance. It takes the direct opposite of pride to go to Calvary and
confess one’s sins. Moreover, it takes an acceptance of his actions as sinful
before the fellow can confess them. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke on this matter
when He told the story of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14:
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift
up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner…. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and
he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
In the Bible
reading for today, John the Baptist teaches us some lessons, in spite of his
position as a prophet, he knew his limitation; he knew his boundary. He pointed
his audience to the original Messiah. From his proclamation, we got the title
for today’s devotional reading: Jesus must increase while we must decrease. Our
carnal man must be mortified so that Jesus Christ can increase in us, and
gradually, we shall be transformed to conform to the image of the Son of the
living God. Beloved, I want to encourage you to make a decision to decrease,
that Jesus may increase. Let the fruits of the Spirits listed in Galatians 5:22 characterise your
lifestyle.
Prayer Point
Father, please help me to be transformed to the
image of Your Son, Jesus Christ my Saviour.
Bible in one year
Ezekiel 44:15-46:18, Psalms 77:1-10
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