Memorise: The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. Proverbs 14:14
Read: Daniel 4:28-33 (KJV)
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
Bible in one year:
Deuteronomy 7-8,
Ezekiel 8:7-18,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 9
Message:-
The spiritual regeneration experience can either be positive or negative. The type that Jesus recommended to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 is the positive kind.
Describing it, the Holy Spirit says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”
However, there is also the negative kind of rebirth. When a person who was filled with good works turns around and begins to behave badly. Such a person is manifesting the symptoms of negative rebirth. The Bible refers to this as ‘backsliding’. According to today’s memory verse, a backslider begins to behave abnormally, exalting personal satisfaction above God’s will.
7
King Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation in today’s Bible reading demonstrating what negation rebirth is all about. In the twinkling of an eye, he changed from a royal majesty to an animal, to the extent that he began to graze like cattle! When a child of God suddenly develops the appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, pornography or extramarital affairs, he or she has experienced a negative rebirth. Don’t be surprised therefore when you see holiness preachers of yesteryear beginning to say that holiness is an illusion – they have undergone a negative rebirth. Are you in a backslidden state? My prayer for you is that the Almighty God will restore you, and every satanic appetite for sin shall vanish from your life today in Jesus’ Name.
Why did Nebuchadnezzar experience negative rebirth? The answer lies in Daniel 4:27 – he refused to take heed when God’s prophet warned him to turn from his wicked ways. It is amazing that in spite of the miracles that Nebuchadnezzar experienced, including seeing the Son of God walking around in the fiery furnace, he continued to be arrogant before the God of heaven (Daniel 3:22-25). In like manner, is it not surprising that in spite of the reality of HIV/AIDS, some people still practice prostitution and have several people patronising them? it is more disheartening when one sees Christians or ministers of God for that matter going back to their old vomit and engaging in sexual immorality and fraudulent practices. Are you one of such people? God is saying to you today in Ezekiel 18:31:
“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
It is time for you to repent so that times of refreshing can be poured over your life (Acts 3:19).
Action Point
Examine your life today to see where you need positive rebirth through genuine repentance. If the Lord is speaking to you on this matter, go ahead and repent without further delay.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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