Now when Jesus was baptized (immersed in the water), the moment He rose out of the water, behold the heavens opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove upon Him and resting on Him (Matthew 3: 16)
Moses the Servant of God, taught the people of Israel a lesson on open heavens and closed heavens. He said, the heavens above us and between us and God can be shut up due to disobedience and can also be opened up due to obedience. He therefore exhorted Israel to walk in obedience to God, so that their heavens would always remain open.
The Prophet Isaiah prayed to God to rend up the heavens over Israel. "Oh that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down" (Isaiah 64: 1). What was really happening in Israel that the prophet would petitioned God to tear apart the heavens, to break open the skys over Israel and for Him to come down to His people? We don't have a record to show the prophet's prayer was answered in his days. But we do know that on two occasions in Israel, the heavens were literally and violently torn open and God's Spirit came down as the prophet had prayed for and had hoped for for God's people. God literally answered him.
On Jesus's baptism, with eye witnesses and onlookers, the heavens were torn violently open, and God's Spirit, descended in a form of dove and rested upon Jesus and filled Him. And John the Baptist testified to this event in Jesus's life (John 1: 31 -34).
And on the day of Pentecost, in the upper room, where hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus had gathered in prayer, suddenly the heavens were violently torn open, and the same Spirit of God, descended like a mighty wind, (not a gentle dove), gushed down and filled the place where they were sitting. And they were filled with the Spirit and supernatural things began to happen to the surprise of onlookers. "And suddenly there came a sound from heavens, as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they sitting" (Acts 2: 2). Thus confirming Isaiah's prayer and prophecy.
It's now our turn and the season has come for us to pray like Isaiah, to petition God to rend the heavens again and to come down. For all that is happening in our world, in our churches, in our societies and in our lives, there is just one need, the open heavens, for the fire of His Spirit to come down, the revival of the Spirit to descend on us, either as a dove or as a mighty rushing wind, to do awesome things. We desperately need His open heavens in our time, for no one can deny that. And that calls for prayer, for humbling ourselves and for repentance. God informed Solomon about such situation (2 Chron 7: 13 -14). Indicating God is willing and ready to rend the heavens again and again and again if we can commit to prayer, to repentance and to humbling of ourselves before Him. He will cause open the heavens over our homes, lives, society, nation and churches. And the fruits, and the results would be awesome and blessing.
So as you go through the year and live life, pray to God for open heavens over us, His people, His church, and our nation (s). Let His fire of Revival fall on us and bring about the godly change and transformation we seek for in Jesus name. Amen
Shalom, life and grace to you
Moving people onto God's purposes
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