LIVING STREAMS DEVOTIONAL
By Pst. Ezekiel Atang
MAY 2025
THE GREAT ASSIGNMENT
(Luke 14:21-23 KJV)
Tuesday, 6th May
WHY YOU ARE NOT YET IN HEAVEN
(John 17:15,18,20 KJV)
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word”.
This was the last prayer of Jesus for His disciples before He left this world, and we know that the last words of a man are his most important words, the deepest thoughts of his heart. In the same vein, the prayer of Jesus here certainly was the most important prayer He prayed for His disciples and the content of the prayer is worthy of note. One thing stood out in that prayer; He never prayed for His disciples to come to heaven. One would have thought He would expedite their arrival in heaven, so He could be with them, but He thought and prayed differently.
First, He prayed that the Father would not take them out of the world, but that He would deliver them from evil. Evil is not temptation, it is not even trials. Evil is devil’s attack on a child of God that has the ability to be fatal. It is evil because it is satan’s speciality, it is satan’s will for man, and satan’s will for you is that you are killed and destroyed; According to John 10:10, that was why Jesus prayed that God should keep them from evil.
This is the prayer Jesus really made for them; that they would work as He worked. He sent them the way He was sent by the father, which was to seek and save the lost, (Luke 19:10), and He has sent us to seek and to save the lost too. He also prayed for those that will come to believe through our words. So, the people you will preach to have been prayed for already by our Lord Jesus Himself.
Stop bothering yourself about people hearing you and whether they would believe, Jesus had that covered already. They will believe if you will preach, they will obey, if you will witness, and they will follow you to church, if you will open your mouth to invite them. Why? Jesus already prayed for them. That is why you are still here, and that is why you are not yet in heaven. There are people that must hear you before believing God. Receive grace to fulfill the reason for your salvation in Jesus Name.
Action Points/Prayer
i. Ask the Lord to show you those you have been appointed to witness and preach to.
ii. Ask the Lord to divinely position you where these people are.
iii. Ask the father to put the right words in your heart and mouth that will create the desired impact on these lives.
iv. Tell someone about Jesus today and invite someone to the next church Service today without fail.
Nugget
People will believe if you will preach, and they will follow you to church, if you will open your mouth to invite them. Why? Jesus already prayed for them.
For Further Reading and Meditation
MORNING
Genesis 11; Matthew 25
EVENING
Proverbs 12
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