MEANING OF SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. Sackcloth and ashes originates from biblical texts and is used to symbolize: MOURNING,(*Deep sorrow and grief) REPENTANCE, (*Desire to change) AND HUMILITY.(*Humbled to Father in shame) Wearing sackcloth, is uncomfortable and course fabric. Usually made from goats hair. Sitting in ashes were traditional practices during times of great spiritual and physical distress or showing their penance for sins. In the Bible, figures such as Job and the people of Israel used sackcloth and ashes to express their sorrow and seek forgiveness from Father. This showed a deep sense of remorse and the desire to turn away from their iniquity. These biblical stories of mourning, repentance, and humility show someone who is experiencing regret for transgressions by taking responsibility for their actions, and bowing down to the heavenly Father. Demonstrating the act of being nothing but dirty ashes. Burnt up and consumed with the trials and tribulation of this life. 👉REPENTANCE OF NINEVEH (Jonah 3:5-6) When Jonah prophesies the destruction of Nineveh, the king and the people respond by donning sackcloth and sitting in ashes as a sign of repentance. 📖THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH BELIEVE Jonah 3:5-10 KJV 1 SO THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH Believed God, And proclaimed a fast, And put on SACKCLOTH, From the greatest of them Even to the least of them. 6 FOR WORD CAME UNTO THE KING OF NINEVEH, And he arose from his throne, And he laid his robe from him, And covered him with SACKCLOTH, And sat in ASHES. 7 AND HE CAUSED IT TO BE PROCLAIMED And published through Nineveh By the decree of the king and his nobles, Saying, Let neither man nor beast, Herd nor flock, taste any thing: Let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 BUT LET MAN AND BEAST Be covered with SACKCLOTH, And cry mightily unto God: Yea, let them turn every one From his evil way, and from the violence That is in their hands. 9 WHO CAN TELL IF GOD WILL TURN AND REPENT, And turn away from his fierce anger, That we perish not? 10 AND GOD SAW THEIR WORKS, That they turned from their evil way; And God repented of the evil, That he had said That he would Do unto them; And he did it not. 👉KING DAVID MOURNS (2 Samuel 12:16-17) After the death of his child, with Besthsheba, David fasts and mourns, emphasizing humility and sorrow. The child was born through adultery and murder. God did not let it live. THE DEATH OF DAVID’S SON 2 Samuel 12:15-23 KJV 15 AND NATHAN DEPARTED Unto his house. And the Lord struck the child That Uriah's wife bare unto David, And it was very sick. 16 DAVID THEREFORE BESOUGHT GOD For the child; And David fasted, And went in, And lay all night upon the earth. 17 AND THE ELDERS OF HIS HOUSE AROSE, And went to him, To raise him up from the earth: But he would not, Neither did he eat bread with them. 18 AND IT CAME TO PASS On the seventh day, That the child died. And the servants of David Feared to tell him that the child was dead: For they said, Behold, While the child was yet alive, We spake unto him, And he would not hearken unto our voice: How will he then vex himself, If we tell him that the child is dead? 19 BUT WHEN DAVID SAW That his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: Therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 THEN DAVID AROSE FROM THE EARTH, And washed, and anointed himself, And changed his apparel, And came into the house of the Lord, And worshipped: Then he came to his own house; And when he required, They set bread before him, And he did eat. 21 THEN SAID HIS SERVANTS UNTO HIM, What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child, While it was alive; But when the child was dead, Thou didst rise and eat bread. 22 AND HE SAID, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: For I said, Who can tell whether God Will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 BUT NOW HE IS DEAD, Wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, But he shall not return to me. 👉QUEEN ESTHER'S PLEA (Esther 4) Esther asks the Jews to fast and wear sackcloth as they seek deliverance from impending doom. ESTHER AGREES TO HELP THE JEWS Esther 4 KJV 1 WHEN MORDECAI PERCEIVED All that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, And put on sackcloth with ashes, And went out into the midst of the city, And cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 AND CAME EVEN BEFORE THE KING'S GATE: For none might enter into the king's gate Clothed with sackcloth. 3 AND IN EVERY PROVINCE, Whithersoever the king's commandment And his decree came, There was great mourning Among the Jews, And fasting, And weeping, And wailing; And many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 SO ESTHER'S MAIDS And her chamberlains Came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; And she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, And to take away his sackcloth from him: But he received it not. 5 THEN CALLED ESTHER FOR HATACH, One of the king's chamberlains, Whom he had appointed To attend upon her, And gave him a commandment To Mordecai, To know what it was, And why it was. 6 SO HATACH WENT FORTH TO MORDECAI Unto the street of the city, Which was before the king's gate. 7 AND MORDECAI TOLD HIM OF ALL That had happened unto him, And of the sum of the money That Haman had promised To pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, To destroy them. 8 ALSO HE GAVE HIM THE COPY Of the writing of the decree That was given at Shushan To destroy them, To shew it unto Esther, And to declare it unto her, And to charge her that she should go In unto the king, To make supplication unto him, And to make request before him For her people.🤥✡️ 9 AND HATACH CAME And told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 AGAINST ESTHER SPAKE UNTO HATACH, And gave him commandment Unto Mordecai; 11 ALL THE KING'S SERVANTS, And the people of the king's provinces, Do know, that whosoever, Whether man or women, Shall come unto the king Into the inner court, Who is not called, There is one law of his to put him to death, Except such to whom the king Shall hold out the golden sceptre, That he may live: But I have not been called to come in Unto the king these thirty days. 12 AND THEY TOLD TO MORDECAI Esther's words. 13 THEN MORDECAI COMMANDED To answer Esther, Think not with thyself That thou shalt escape In the king's house, More than all the Jews. 14 FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER Holdest thy peace at this time, Then shall there enlargement And deliverance Arise to the Jews from another place; But thou and thy father's house Shall be destroyed: And who knoweth whether thou art come To the kingdom for such a time as this? 15 THEN ESTHER BADE THEM Return Mordecai this answer, 16 GO, GATHER TOGETHER ALL THE JEWS That are present in Shushan, And fast ye for me, And neither eat nor drink three days, Night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; And so will I go in unto the king, Which is not according to the law: And if I perish, I perish. 17 SO MORDECAI WENT HIS WAY, And did according to all That Esther had commanded him. 👉PROPHET JEREMIAH (Jeremiah 6:26) Jeremiah calls for mourning in Israel, invoking sackcloth as a sign of sorrow for sin. IMPENDING DESTRUCTION FROM THE NORTH Jeremiah 6:16-30 KJV 16 THUS SAITH THE LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, And ask for the old paths, Where is the good way, and walk therein, And ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 ALSO I SET WATCHMEN OVER YOU, Saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 THEREFORE HEAR, Ye nations, and know, O congregation, What is among them. 19 HEARKEN, O EARTH: BEHOLD, I will bring evil upon this people, Even the fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not hearkened Unto my words, nor to my law, But rejected it. 20 TO WHAT PURPOSE COMETH THERE To me incense from Sheba, And the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. 21 THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD, BEHOLD, I will lay stumblingblocks Before this people, And the fathers and the sons together Shall fall upon them; The neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22 THUS SAITH THE LORD, BEHOLD, A people cometh from the north country, And a great nation shall be raised From the sides of the earth. 23 THEY SHALL LAY HOLD ON BOW AND SPEAR; They are cruel, and have no mercy; Their voice roareth like the sea; And they ride upon horses, Set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 WE HAVE HEARD THE FAME THEREOF: Our hands wax feeble: Anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, As of a woman in travail. 25 GO NOT FORTH INTO THE FIELD, Nor walk by the way; For the sword of the enemy And fear is on every side. 26 O DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE, Gird thee with sackcloth, And wallow thyself in ashes: Make thee mourning, as for an only son, Most bitter lamentation: For the spoiler shall suddenly Come upon us. 27 I HAVE SET THEE FOR A TOWER And a fortress among my people, That thou mayest know and try their way. 28 THEY ARE ALL GRIEVOUS REVOLTERS, Walking with slanders: They are brass and iron; They are all corrupters. 29 THE BELLOWS ARE BURNED, The lead is consumed of the fire; The founder melteth in vain: For the wicked are not plucked away. 30 REPROBATE SILVER Shall men call them, Because the Lord hath rejected them. 👉THE ISRAELITES (Isaiah 15:3, Micah 1:10) Throughout the books of the prophets, sackcloth is often mentioned as part of national mourning or individual repentance. JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL AND JUDAH Micah 1 KJV 1 THE WORD OF THE LORD That came to Micah The Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, Which he saw concerning Samaria And Jerusalem. 2 HEAR, ALL YE PEOPLE; Hearken, O earth, And all that therein is: And let the Lord God Be witness against you, The Lord from his holy temple. 3 FOR, BEHOLD The Lord cometh forth Out of His place, And will come down, And tread upon The high places of the earth. 4 AND THE MOUNTAINS Shall be molten Under him, And the valleys shall be cleft, As wax before the fire, And as the waters that are poured down A steep place. 5 FOR THE TRANSGRESSION Of Jacob is all this, And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem? 6 THEREFORE I WILL MAKE SAMARIA As an heap of the field, And as plantings of a vineyard: And I will pour down The stones thereof into the valley, And I will discover the foundations thereof. 7 AND ALL THE GRAVEN IMAGES THEREOF Shall be beaten to pieces, And all the hires thereof Shall be burned with the fire, And all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: For she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, And they shall return to THE HIRE OF AN HARLOT. 8 THEREFORE I WILL WAIL AND HOWL, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, And mourning as the owls. 9 FOR HER WOUND IS INCURABLE; For it is come unto Judah; He is come unto the gate of my people, Even to Jerusalem. 10 DECLARE YE IT NOT AT GATH, Weep ye not at all: In the house of Aphrah Roll thyself in the dust. 11 PASS YE AWAY, Thou inhabitant of Saphir, Having thy shame naked: The inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth In the mourning of Bethezel; He shall receive of you his standing. 12 FOR THE INHABITANT OF MAROTH Waited carefully for good: But evil came down from the Lord Unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O THOU INHABITANT OF LACHISH, Vind the chariot to the swift beast: She is the beginning of the sin To the daughter of Zion: For the transgressions of Israel Were found in thee. 14 THEREFORE SHALT THOU GIVE Presents to Moreshethgath: The houses of Achzib Shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15 YET WILL I BRING AN HEIR UNTO THEE, O inhabitant of Mareshah: He shall come unto Adullam THE GLORY OF ISRAEL. 16 MAKE THEE BALD, And poll thee for thy delicate children; Enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; For they are gone into captivity from thee. 🔥The significance of sackcloth and ashes in the Bible, demonstrates moments of deep emotional strive and the desire to reconcile with The Father. 👉The 2 witnesses come teaching sackcloth and ashes.They are described as prophetic figures who proclaim God's message during the end times. The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-6) As having the power to prophesy for 1,260 days while clothed in sackcloth.(*shortened by Christ in Matthew 24:22-24/ Revelation 9 to 150 days. The 7 years given to Satan was deduced to those 5 months/140 days. The 2 Witnesses time was given in days and when shortened to days they are given about a week longer to prepare and warn the house of Isreal.) THE TWO WITNESSES Revelation 11 KJV 1 AND THERE WAS GIVEN ME A REED Like unto a rod: and the angel stood, Saying, Rise, and measure The temple of God, And the altar, And them that worship therein. 2 BUT THE COURT Which is without the temple leave out, And measure it not; For it is given unto the Gentiles: And the holy city shall they tread Under foot forty and two months. (*Shortened by Christ, Matthew24, to 5 months of Revelation 9, for the elections sake, so they could stand.) 3 AND I WILL GIVE POWER Unto my TWO witnesses, And they shall prophesy A thousand two hundred And threescore days, Clothed in sackcloth.(*Repentance) 4 THESE ARE THE TWO OLIVE TREES, And the two candlesticks Standing before the God of the earth. 5 AND IF ANY MAN WILL HURT THEM, Fire proceedeth out of their mouth, And devoureth their enemies: And if any man will hurt them, He must in this manner be killed. 6 THESE HAVE POWER TO SHUT HEAVEN, That it rain not In the days of their prophecy: And have power over waters To turn them to blood, And to smite the earth with all plagues, As often as they will. THE WITNESSES KILLED 7 AND WHEN THEY SHALL HAVE FINISHED Their testimony, The beast that ascendeth out Of the bottomless pit(*Abbadon, Appolyon) Shall make war against them, And shall overcome them, And kill them. 8 AND THEIR DEAD BODIES Shall lie in the street of the great city, Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, Where also our Lord was crucified. 9 AND THEY OF THE PEOPLE And kindreds And tongues And nations shall see their dead bodies Three days and an half, And shall not suffer their dead bodies To be put in graves. 10 AND THEY THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH Shall rejoice over them, And make merry, And shall send gifts one to another; Because these TWO prophets Tormented them that dwelt on the earth. THE WITNESSES RESURRECTED 11 AND AFTER THREE DAYS AND AN HALF The spirit of life from God Entered into them, And they stood upon their feet; And great fear fell upon them Which saw them. 12 AND THEY HEARD A GREAT VOICE From heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; And their enemies beheld them. 13 AND THE SAME HOUR WAS THERE A great earthquake, And the tenth part of the city fell, And in the earthquake Were slain of men SEVEN THOUSAND: And the remnant Were affrighted, And gave glory to the God of heaven. (*The 7000 fallen angels that take over the government's of the world with their new world order will die forever.) 14 THE SECOND WOE IS PAST; And, behold, The third woe cometh quickly. 👉Sackcloth is a symbol of humility and sorrow, indicating their role as prophets of repentance in a time of great tribulation of the apostasy of God's people. The sackcloth worn by the Two Witnesses provokes their somber mission, calling for the repentance of the nations and pointing out their eminent demise. The 2 serve as messengers of God's judgment, calling people to repentance. They are granted the power to perform miraculous signs, such as shutting the sky to prevent rain and turning waters into blood, emphasizing their authority as God's representatives. After their testimony, they are killed, signifying the rejection of their message. Like that of Jesus message they will lay in the street 3 days and half. They are later resurrected and taken up to heaven, symbolizing the ultimate vindication of God's

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT JESUS` SACRIFICE He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” —Mark 14:34 Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt as though your friends and family had abandoned you? Have you ever felt like you were misunderstood? Have you ever had a hard time understanding or submitting to the will of God for your life? If so, then you have an idea of what the Lord Jesus went through when He agonized at Gethsemane.  book of Hebrews tells us, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (4:15–16 NLT).  Book of Isaiah tells us that Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (53:3 NLT). But the sorrow He experienced in Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion seemed to be the culmination of all the sorrow He had ever known and would accelerate to a climax the following day. The ultimate triumph that was to take place at Calvary was first accomplished beneath the gnarled, old olive trees of Gethsemane. Jesus shared His agony with His disciples. “He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me’” (Mark 14:34 NLT It’s interesting that the very word Gethsemane means “olive press.” Olives were pressed there to make oil, and truly, Jesus was being pressed from all sides that He might bring life to us. I don’t think we can even begin to fathom what He was going through. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (NLT). That’s the hard truth of our salvation: Jesus had to suffer and die in our place. He had to endure the punishment that we deserved. He was crushed and beaten for our sake. He could have walked away, but He submitted to His Father’s will so that the plan of salvation could be accomplished.  His crushing and beating brought about your salvation and mine. Because of what Jesus went through at Gethsemane and ultimately at the cross, we can call on His name. Though His suffering and death were unfathomably excruciating, they were necessary for God’s ultimate goal.  Maybe you’re at a crisis point in your life right now—a personal Gethsemane, if you will. You know what you want, yet you can sense that God’s will is different. Would you let the Lord choose for you? Would you be willing to say, “Lord, I am submitting my will to Yours. Not my will, but Yours be done”? You will never regret making that decision.  God bless you!

Daily devotion: Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no corn, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my saviour.” The one thing that no one can deny is that the human race is flailing under the oppression of pure evil. Never, in my lifetime, has the world been filled with so much anger, hatred and death. People are out of control. This current generation continues to mock God and the faithful. It also seems that nature itself turned its back on people. Fire and earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, drought and famine, pestilence. And I’m not even mentioning the events happening in space. The world is filled with godless people. You look at the news and see the devil in their eyes. They are not hiding anymore. These are similar to the days of Noah and it has been prophesied that, in endtimes, people will be selfish and arrogant, lovers of money and superficial appearances. They will mock our God and refuse to repent. They ask: “Where is this God of yours. Show me the scientific evidence of His existence.” Do they not understand that even THEY were CREATED by God. THEY are the evidence. Every single cell of all that lives on this planet, humans, animals, plants, has been made by God Himself. Our purpose on earth is to worship our Lord and to spread the gospel. As Christians we should not fear the things that are happening and the things that are still coming. We may live difficult lives, but still we need to rejoice in the Lord. It may seem impossible to praise God in times of anguish, but just look at what Habakkuk 3:19 says: “The Sovereign LORD gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer, and keeps me safe on the mountains.” God is within each one of us and we should look towards the future with joy and exaltation, for He is steadfast, He is almighty, He is the ONE God. He sees through the artificial smiles, He knows what troubles your heart and He will take care of you ALWAYS. #Christianity #JesusChrist #Faith #Hope #prayer

A Nugget of Truth. WHO IS SPIRITUAL ISRAEL? The Bible shows that being part of God’s true Israel was never based solely on physical ancestry. God’s covenant people have always been identified by faith, obedience and a surrendered heart. Paul explains: “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” Romans 9:6 “He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly… But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly.” Romans 2:28–29 Jesus warned the Jewish leaders that their privileged position as God’s covenant nation would be removed if they rejected Him: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Matthew 21:43 This did not mean that individual Jews could no longer be saved. The apostles themselves were Jewish, and salvation remained open to every Jewish person who accepted Christ. What changed was that the Jewish nation was no longer the exclusive covenant nation through which God’s work would be carried forward. That decisive rejection is seen in Acts 7, when Stephen gave his final appeal to the Jewish council. They rejected his testimony, stoned him and laid their garments at the feet of Saul. Immediately after this, the gospel began to move more fully beyond the Jewish nation. “They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4 God’s covenant people would now be formed from both Jews and Gentiles who accepted Christ by faith. “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28–29 Gentile believers were not placed into a separate plan of salvation. They were grafted into the same spiritual olive tree through faith, while unbelieving branches were broken off. “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.” Romans 11:20 Spiritual Israel does not replace faithful Jewish believers. Spiritual Israel includes every person, Jew or Gentile, who belongs to Christ. The true Israel of God is not determined by bloodline, nationality or earthly borders, but by faith in Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: SUNDAY AUGUST 9TH 2026 TOPIC: THE ANOINTING IS NOT FOR SALE II MEMORISE: "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." Matthew 10:8 BIBLE READING: 1 PETER 5:2-4 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. MESSAGE: When God anoints a person, He expects him or her to use the anointing to edify His people and spread the gospel. As we see in today's Bible reading, God does not want the anointing to be used for personal gain. I often tell the pastors under my supervision that when God uses them to perform a miracle, they must never demand or expect any reward from the person who received the miracle. In today's memory verse, Jesus told his disciples that they had received the anointing freely and they should also give it out freely. The One who performs miracles is God, not the people He has anointed. Therefore, you should never feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from God through His anointing upon you. Some self-professing ministers of God even go as far as selling olive oil, water, handkerchiefs, and other similar items that they claim have been anointed to those who come to them for prayers. Such conduct reveals that they are hirelings who are looking to exploit God's sheep rather than being shepherds who should nurture and feed them. Beloved, you are not to use the anointing that God bestowed on you to manipulate people. Some people demand that they should be called 'Father in the Lord' just because God has used them to heal headaches. Being anointed does not qualify anyone to become a lord over others; rather, the anointing ought to be used to serve people. Peter knew that such temptations would arise, which was why he told some church leaders in today's Bible reading to feed the flock of God willingly and with a ready mind. He also warned them not to use God's anointing upon their lives for selfish gain. Jesus Christ, our perfect example, exemplified how to use the anointing God bestows upon a person. He went about doing good and healing those who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38), and also served His followers (John 13:3-15). Beloved, like Jesus, use the anointing you have received from God to bless those He has sent you to; do not use it to exploit or victimise others. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and you will give an account of all the things He has given to you one day. Always remember that the anointing you have received from God is a tool to serve Him, edify His people, cater to their needs, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. KEY POINT: The anointing is not meant to be used for personal gain but to serve the will and purpose of the One who gave it. AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 18-21 HYMN 24: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS 1 I want to be like Jesus, So lowly and so meek; For no one mark'd an angry word, That ever heard Him speak. 2 I want to be like Jesus, So frequently in prayer; Alone upon the mountain top, He met his Father there. 3 I want to be like Jesus, I never, never find That He, though persecuted was To any one unkind. 4 I want to be like Jesus, Engaged in doing good; So that of me it may be said "He hath done what he could." 5 I want to be like Jesus, Who sweetly said to all, "Let little children come to Me;" I would obey the call. 6 But oh I'm not like Jesus, As any one may see; O gentle Saviour, send Thy grace, And make me like to Thee. PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL. Sunday 9th August 2026 THE ANOINTING IS NOT FOR SALE II ‎ ‎PRAYER POINTS 1.Father, thank You for the salvation of my soul and for releasing Your Spirit upon me. Thank You for anointing me to preach the Good News, with signs and wonders following. 2.Father, thank You for freely giving me Your anointing to heal the sick, to cleanse the lepers, to raise the dead and to cast out devils. 3.Father, please help me to use Your anointing on me to edify Your people and to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, and not for personal gains, in Jesus' name. 4.Father, as it pleases You to use me to perform miracles, please help me never to take the glory nor to covet a reward from the recipient of such miracles, but to return all glory to You at all times, in Jesus' name. 5.Father, please help me never to be tempted to feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from You through Your anointing upon me, in Jesus' name. 6.Father, please help me and all Your pastors, to be true shepherd over the flocks You have put under us. Help me to nurture and feed them with Your word and not to be a hireling or to exploit them, in Jesus' name. 7.Father, please help me not to use the anointing You have bestowed on me to manipulate the people; rather than being a lord over them, help me to use the anointing to serve willingly and joyfully, in Jesus' name. 8.Father, please help me to be like Jesus, Who went about doing good, healing those who are oppressed by the devil, and also to serve those under me, in Jesus' name. 9.Father, please help me to use the anointing to bless those You have sent me to, and not to exploit or victimize them, in Jesus' name. 10.Father, please show me Your mercy and help me not to fail You. Help me to use the anointing to serve Your will and purpose, in Jesus' name. 11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. ‎ May he never trade Your anointing upon his life for anything in this world, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name ‎ ‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name. ‎ ‎14.Your personal petitions. ‎(Philippians 4:6) ‎ ‎15.In Jesus name I pray. ‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16) ‎ ‎#Godblessournation These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name. ‎

Christians can use anointing oil today. The Bible does not forbid the practice, and New Testament scripture explicitly mentions anointing the sick with oil during prayer (James 5:14-15, Mark 6:13). However, the oil itself holds no magical or supernatural power; healing and spiritual strength come from God through faith. Biblical Basis and Practices Healing the Sick Church Elders: James 5:14 tells sick people to call Church Leaders to Pray and Anoint them with oil in the Lord's name. The Prayer of Faith: Scripture teaches that healing comes from God through faith and prayer, not from any magical power in the oil itself. Medicinal Views: Some scholars note that oil in biblical times was also used practically as medicine, combining Physical care with Spiritual Prayer. Symbolism and Personal Devotion: Symbol of the Spirit: Oil often represents the Holy Spirit, grace, and comfort. Prayer Aid: Some individual Believers and families use oil as a physical point of contact or reminder during focused prayer and personal dedication. Anointing with oil has a special significance. But it’s important to remember that oil isn’t a requirement for prayers of healing. It’s a symbol. Not once in Scripture do we find Jesus or the apostles anointing someone with oil when they pray for healing. Not once. That doesn’t mean we should avoid it (James seems to encourage it, after all!); just that we shouldn’t feel like oil is required for our prayers to work. In the Bible, anointing oil was made from olive oil and sweet spices. It was poured or applied to set people and objects apart for God’s holy service, to symbolize the Holy Spirit, or to pray for healing. The oil itself held no magic power; it was an outward sign of faith and obedience.

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# DAILY LIGHT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THREE BIRDS SENT OUT OF THE ARK BY NOAH ​Grace, apostolic authority, and the uncompromising fire of the Holy Ghost be multiplied to your spirit. As disciples of the Kingdom, we must recognize that the Holy Scriptures are not merely historical records; they are profound prophetic blueprints. Every detail, every animal, and every sequence is a calculated revelation of God’s dealings with the human soul. ​Today, the Spirit of God is unlocking the mystery of Genesis 8. As the floodwaters of judgment receded, Noah did not simply open the door and walk out. He tested the spiritual climate of the earth by releasing birds. This sequence—the raven, and the successive flights of the dove—is a surgical exposure of the battle between the flesh and the Spirit in your life. Prepare your heart, for this is an apostolic summons to absolute consecration. ​The First Release: The Raven and the Appetite of the Flesh ​"And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth." — Genesis 8:7 ​Noah first released a raven. The scripture records that the raven flew "to and fro" and never returned to the safety of the ark. Why? Because the raven is a scavenger. It is an unclean bird that feeds on carrion—dead and decaying flesh. Even though the earth was completely destroyed and covered in the judgment of the flood, the raven was perfectly comfortable landing on the floating carcasses of the old world. ​The Prophetic Diagnosis: The raven represents your carnal nature—the unredeemed flesh. The flesh is perfectly at home in chaos. It feeds on the decaying matters of this world: gossip, bitterness, lust, and rebellion. When a believer is operating in the flesh, they do not crave the presence of God (the Ark); they are satisfied surviving on the dead things of their past. The raven requires no holiness to find rest. If your soul is not completely surrendered to Christ, the "raven" within you will always find a carcass to feed on. ​The Second Release: The Dove and the Standard of Holiness ​"Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated... But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth..." — Genesis 8:8-9 ​Next, Noah released a dove. Unlike the raven, the dove is a clean bird. It cannot feed on dead meat, and it will not land on filth. Finding the earth still covered in the waters of judgment and death, the dove found no resting place and immediately returned to the Ark. ​The Prophetic Diagnosis: The dove is the ultimate biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16). Here is the terrifying truth of Christ Discipleship: The Holy Spirit will not tabernacle in a contaminated vessel. He refuses to share a resting place with your unjudged flesh. Many believers are begging for an outpouring of the Holy Ghost, but their lives are flooded with compromise, secret sin, and carnal entertainment. The Spirit of God will visit you, scan the landscape of your heart, and if He finds no pure, consecrated ground, He will withdraw. You cannot host the Dove while feeding the raven. ​The Third Release: The Olive Branch and Permanent Habitation ​"And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off... And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more." — Genesis 8:11-12 ​Noah waited seven days and sent the dove again. This time, she returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. The olive leaf is the biblical symbol of the anointing (oil), peace, and the undeniable proof of new life springing forth from the earth. Finally, on her last flight, the dove did not return. The earth was clean, and she had found her permanent habitation. ​The Prophetic Diagnosis: God does not just want to give you a temporary visitation; He is after a permanent habitation. When the floodwaters of repentance genuinely wash your soul, the old nature is buried. The Holy Spirit will bring the "olive branch" of His anointing and peace to confirm that new life has begun in you. But the ultimate goal of discipleship is that final release—where your mind, will, and emotions are so thoroughly cleansed and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus that the Holy Spirit makes His permanent, uninterrupted dwelling inside of you. ​The Altar of Absolute Surrender ​The apostolic question you must answer today is this: Which bird is finding rest in your life? Are you accommodating the raven of the flesh, allowing it to feast on the dead things of the world? Or are you preparing a holy, consecrated resting place for the Dove of Heaven? It is time to starve the flesh and surrender entirely to the Spirit. ​Prophetic Decree and Prayer of Consecration ​"Father, in the supreme, consuming Name of Jesus Christ, I bring my soul to the altar of absolute surrender today. I repent for every area of my life where I have allowed the raven of my flesh to feed on the dead, carnal things of this world. I renounce compromise, hidden sin, and spiritual laziness. Lord, let the floodwaters of Your Holy Ghost wash my vessel clean! I desperately want to be a resting place for the Divine Dove. I surrender my mind, my will, and my habits to Your Lordship. Bring the olive branch of Your anointing into my life, and completely take over my existence until my flesh is dead and only Christ remains. Make me Your permanent habitation! In Jesus' matchless Name!" # THE SON OF LIGHT

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2 Kings 4:7 NLT When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.” Good morning and praise God. I hope you are having a great day. Hallelujah. In our devotion today we look into the story of a poor widow and Elisha. Her husband was one of those who served Elisha before he died leaving her in debt. A creditor was already threatening to take her two son as payment for the debt. She only had a flask of olive oil with her. Elisha told her to borrow many jar and from that small flask flowed oil that filled all other jars she borrowed. She was now rich in olive oil but she didn't just start doing anything with it. She went back to Elisha and asked what she should do and so Elisha told her to sell and clear her debt and live on the rest. We serve God who is not limited brethren. We are not ones who goes around corrupting ourselves in order to earn a living. We have a Father who fed 5,000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. The sweetest part is that he doesn't just feed our hungry stomachs but also our hungry souls! A thing that natural food will never do. We therefore worship: "Guide me, O my great Redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but you are mighty; hold me with your powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore, feed me now and evermore." Let not the enemy remind you of that debt of sin but rather focus to the cross of Calvary where all was paid by Savior Jesus. "Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." When you focus to your Savior Jesus and and obey the leading of Holy Spirit in you, you'll have solutions even with the smallest thing you have today. That small flask of oil is enough with Him. For the rich who have been corrupted by their riches it will be easier for a camel through needle's eye into God's presence. It will not be so to you who have trusted in God like Job. You who knows that all good things comes from the LORD. You who have refused to be corrupted by the enemy's delicacies but rather choosen to even suffer along the way in order to please your maker! Brethren, keep walking with the master. Trust in His providence. God loves you, have a blessed day. Shalom. Shalom.