Atmosphere series - 2 Living under an Open Heaven
Intro: John 1:50,51
Greater things you shall see – you shall see heaven open and the Angels ascending and descending on the Son of man.
What was key to Jesus Life?
A. He lived under an open heaven, filled with supernatural power, intimacy with his Father, strengthened by Angelic beings. Jesus Water Baptism – heavens opened, voice of God, affirmation of God, Holy Spirit coming on him like a dove.
B. John 14:12 In order to do Greater works than Jesus shall we do must have the same open heaven over our lives and ministry.
How do we live under an Atmosphere of an Open Heaven, experiencing Divine Blessing?
1. Beware of becoming a Hypocrite
Mt 23:13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
a. Their hypocrisy caused the Kingdom of heaven to be closed to them, and others
b. Why? Their hypocrisy caused others to turn away from Christ. Christ came to present an OPEN HEAVEN, which the Scribes and Pharisees now caused others to reject.
What is Hypocrisy?
A hypocrite is a stage-player ; he impersonates or acts the part when he is not living the life. Then when he judges others for what he is not doing himself, he closes heaven to others and to himself.
Q. How many people have you tried to talk to about God and they have a neatly packaged story about a Christian they knew who ripped them off, or hurt them openly, or tried to talk the walk but did not walk the walk? The heavens have been shut over their lives because of Hypocrisy.
Q. What do we do if the Spirit of God says to us today – you are that man? Realise in many ways we may have hypocrisy in smaller amounts, but where the Holy Spirit is convicting you – your example at home to your children, or your unethical business practices, a secret sin that you judge others with – whatever area REPENT, acknowledge it before God and seek forgiveness from those you have shut the windows of heaven for.
2. Tithing – 1/10 of our income into God’s house
Gen.28:10-22 Jacobs Ladder
Verse 10-19 Dream of Open Heaven
q Heavenly activity over his life – God was with him
q Lord standing at the top of the Ladder re-affirms his Dad’s prophetic word over his life
q Verse 14 – God’s blessing was going to multiply and grow Jacob and his family – must know that is God’s plan
q Verse 19 – Luz now ‘Bethel’ = House of God.
It was an Awesome place – God has now made our body his house – 1 Cor 6:19
Key to an Open Heaven discovered v.20-22
q Tithe of all he was going to receive back to God
q Bread & Clothing (God’s provision)
q Peace of God in his heart
NOTE: Pattern of honouring God with the tithe was experienced when Abraham (Gen 14:18-20)with a tiny band of his own household defeated 4 Kings of Mesopotamia and met Melchizadec(Christ). He blesses Abraham – he responds to the Lord by giving him a Tithe(1/10) of all he had.
Israel receives Instructions on why the Heavens had closed over her.
Malachi 3:6-12
q God does not change – tithe instituted before the ten commandments and law given – Principles never change
q People had left the previous generation of serving God
What way shall they return?
q God says people have robbed him in tithes and offerings
q Bought a curse over the nation
q God’s instructions to reverse the closed heavens:
Bring the whole tithe in the storehouse
Why? That there may be food in God's house. If the house of God is suffering from a poverty mentality – what message of hope does this bring the world?
Haggai’s rebuke to the Nation Haggai 1:2-11
q Personal priorities had robbed God’s house of the finance needed to restore it.
q Symptoms of a closed heaven follow:
- sown much, reaped little
– Groceries continually running out
- Drink but not filled
- Clothes but can’t keep warm
- Wages don’t meet needs
TIME TO RECONSIDER PRIORITIES
Malachi 3v10b
Lord says test me by bringing your tithe to church
I will open the heavens over your life and will pour out such a blessing on your life you will not be able to contain it!
q The Devourer(Satan – thief) will be rebuked by God Himself.
q A testimony will become evident to others about how God has blessed you.
You cannot afford to disobey God in this regard. If you were to have the sharpest financial consultant at your fingertips telling you where to invest your money, you would do it.
GOOD NEWS! You have – his name is the Lord, and he has told us our primary investment is the Tithe – sanctified – the return is an Open Heaven of God’s blessing.
Q. What about if I’m married and we don’t have agreement on this issue? What then?
A. Tithe on what you have direct control over – your allowance, your personal investments, until there is agreement on the family income.
3. Releasing Forgiveness to Others
Matthew 6:12,14,15 Key to an atmosphere of an open heaven around your life found in the Lord’s prayer.
Matthew 18:21-34 How many times do we forgive others?
Story of unforgiving servant – delivered to the torturers.
Not only does heaven close over but you suffer :
Torture
1 a : anguish of body or mind : agony
b : something that causes agony or pain
2 : the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding
I have seen sickness, bitterness, hatred and financial ruin because heaven has been closed to the person who refuses to forgive
How do I forgive?
a. Make a choice – I will forgive
b. Begin praying for the welfare of the person you are forgiving – asking for God’s best upon their lives
c. When you get the opportunity – verbalise your forgiveness to that person – don’t dismiss the issues, but make sure you tell them you are making a decision to forgive them.
Conclusion
What kind of a heaven do you have over your life today?
The atmosphere we submit ourselves to will eventually mould our life.
Do you know the outpouring of God’s blessing over your life?
Effective ministry comes from knowing an open heaven over you. This is none other than the favour of God over your life.