Attitude - Gateway To Open Heavens
Pastor Amos Dele Dada PhD. P.Eng
The life-style of praying for open heavens has been popularized in our time. Books have been written and many more are yet to come to the book stores. Long night meetings are held in our churches with people bombarding heaven with intense prayer for God to rend the heavens. Most times open heaven has been defined as what God does when we fulfill some conditions. For instance when we pay our tithe as mentioned in Malachi chapter three and when we pray as described by what Jesus did when he was being baptized in the synoptic gospels. Whereas there are no quadratic equations (formulae) for God in solving human problems or opening the heavens, a quick search of the scriptures will reveal there are some attitudes that when positively disposed to, God generously seems to suddenly open the heavens. That is why I will like to consider what I called: Attitude the gateway to open heavens.
The first question then is what an attitude is:
A predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards (together called stimuli). Attitude is one character that makes a big difference among people, whether in church, the work place or in the community.
It is a very powerful force that many people do not pay attention to and it destroys very quickly. It has to do primarily with the way people react to situations. Attitude goes a long way to show the quality of a person. If your attitude is positive, you will always come to the top. If it is negative, you will come down even if you are on top. There are some people who are always happy no matter their condition. It is attitude. Our happiness and success depend not so much on the problems we face, but how we respond to those problems. A positive attitude can turn situations around for a person. A negative attitude will not solve any problem, in fact it will compound it. Imagine people with attitude of hot temper? A positive attitude towards life and towards whatsoever you are facing will remove the dust from your mind and motivate you to accept the challenge ahead and open your heavens.
Facts about attitude
1.Whereas it could be said that some attitudes are genetically oriented, the fact remains you can choose your attitude, change your attitude, or ignore your attitude
2. Attitudes are the views of a person whether positive or negative.
3. Attitudes could be learned. You can learn to behave in a particular way. That is what human beings call training and discipline.
4. You must have read about the quotation. “Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.” What that is saying in essence is that attitudes are habits.
5. Attitudes are perceptions. Perceptions are views or opinions or thoughts on any given matter. In other words Attitude is subjective.
6.Attitudes are judgments. The way you perceive an issue determines the judgment you make on such an issue.
7. Your attitude determines your life style which correspondingly determines your conclusions. Your conclusion decides your conditions. Which eventually determine whether your heaven will open or not. For instance Proverbs 15: 1 says a soft answer turns away wrath. This was demonstrated by the way the Syrophoenician woman handled her case with Jesus and his disciples.
Her daughter was sick. She was not of the tribe of Israel. She heard that Jesus was a miracle worker. She needed that miracle badly for her daughter. She approached Jesus with what you will think was a simple demand .But everybody turned against her to the point that she was literarily called a dog. The normal attitude expected at that point was for her to revolt or exhibit a negative attitude, turn back or cause a scene. But No, she said ‘comparing me to a dog is not a problem,’ she came with superior argument (soft answer) ‘ that dogs also have entitlement’. Even though Jesus did not commend her attitude but her faith, but a close look will show that it was the combination of her positive attitude and her faith that opened her heavens! Matthew 15:21-28.
So, your attitude has an impact on your happiness. And it has an impact on the success of those around you, your siblings, children, parents, church members and community. Specifically speaking, your attitude determines whether your heaven will be opened or remain shut.
Let me give you examples of four people that had a positive attitude in the bible and their heavens were instantly opened.
1. Job: Job:1-3
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the [a]men of the east. NASB
The bible says he was the greatest in the east. God said he was upright and blameless. Those commendations came from God not his Pastor. If it came from his pastor, it could be said that his Pastor was biased because Job must have spoilt him with gifts of high magnitude or proportions. With that dimension of Job’s wealth, he could be described as the Bill Gate of his time or Warren Buffet or both combined. You know the attitude of a person in the time of ease and distress but more in time of distress or when under pressure. Satan got Job to be pressurized from heaven and for curious reasons heaven allowed it.
Job lost all his wealth and his health was not spared. But he exhibited uncommon positive attitude. He did not commit sin because of his travails. He never cursed God? His wife counseled him “curse God and die.” You cannot do that, was his quick response. He lost ten children in one day. His response was “God has given God has taken glory be to God.” He had four friends Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite and Elihu
who pretended they have come to comfort him in time of his sickness but were just there to cause more emotional pain and judgment.
“Job tell us the truth you are a sinner.”
“Job this your sickness is because of your sin.” All manner of accusations were ignorantly railed on him. But God saw the attitude of Job most particularly when he responded “I know my redeemer lives”. God opened the heaven of Job that Satan closed and poured double blessings: “Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters” Job 42:12-13.NKJV
I went into these details because of the attitude we have today as Christians towards suffering and pain. I know someone who left his church because of his child that died, as if it was the church that killed his child. There was the story of someone who lost his job in one of the Twin Towers in New York before the September 11, 2001 attack. He literally came to accuse his Pastor that he lost his high paying job. He refused to be comforted and left the church. Not long after, thousands of people were lost in that building, he came to apologize to the Pastor. No matter the challenges of the time, have a positive attitude that your closed heaven is about to be opened.
2. The Shunammite Woman (2 Kings 4:8-37) This woman just watched daily the man of God, Elisha traveling long distances to and fro to carry out his ecclesiastical duties. An attitude of hospitality stirred up in her. She decided to do something about it . The bible recalls how she approached the husband to allow them to make a room for Elisha in their apartment or house.
“Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.” The husband agreed. They were not expecting a reward. It was not to take rent from Elisha and servants, but an attitude of enhancing the work of God albeit indirectly. Elisha had barely settled down to this well furnished apartment when he called Gehazi: 12 Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’”She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?”And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.”NKJV
Look at that! Her heaven was opened immediately. The closed womb was opened. I do not hesitate to tell any woman who is trusting God for the blessing of the womb to follow this woman’s attitude. Look for a man of God who is genuinely in need, sow a seed to meet that need see whether the closed womb will not be opened. Most close wombs are not witch related. When Abraham allowed Sarah to make pepper soup for those celestial bodies, they had barely finished the meal as they were using tooth pick they made similar pronouncements. (Gen 18)
3. The widow of Zarephath. 1 King 17:8-24. This is a similar story to the one above. A man of God came to a woman preparing her last meal for herself and her only child. “Give me water to drink” was the strange request in a dry land in drought time. As if that was not enough “give me your last meal.” was the strange request that followed. But she harbored the man of God in her house. The question is, if you and I have not read the bible as we have done now and a so called man of God comes to make this seemingly strange demand from you what will be your attitude? Yet her attitude brought her the desired open heaven. I can just imagine the neighbors who thought that this woman could not survive the times coming to ask her for some grains and other food items. In the time of famine she was satisfied. What is your attitude to the need of your neighbors. Today pastors are mocked and jeered and derided.
4. David I Kings 16 &17. How did the heaven open for David? Was it about tithing and prayer no? Am I against prayer and tithing, no? But I am stressing one fact that your attitude outside the church is the gateway to your open heavens.
In I Sam 16. David we were told indirectly was the last born of Jesse. A man blessed with 8 sons. All of his elder brothers were at home drinking tea and eating French Fries, struggling for space in the kitchen, watching movies and playing video games and leaving their father’s last born to take care of their father’s huge flock.. One would have thought it should be the reverse, because as the last born, all of them should be working hard and giving him gifts. David had the attitude of a hard working youth. He was busy taking care of the sheep for the family. God was looking for a king while these lazy men were begging and bending their heads for anointing oil from Samuel. God rejected them. There is an attitude of hard work that is today being replaced with prayer for open heavens which needs to be corrected. I am a proponent of prayer but as a trained Chemical Engineer, I know that God is waiting for us to ‘manifest our brain and brawn’ for our heavens to open. Our Youth need to be told to go to school, work hard, support themselves, their parents and the work of God.
See what happened in I Sam 17.Three of these lazy brothers of David found themselves as leaders in the army of Israel led by Saul. Were you surprised they were on the battle field as liabilities rather than assets? Is there no adage that says charity begins at home not battle field? The entire army including the Commander- in Chief was afraid of the giant Goliath. It was this small boy that says when paraphrased “You don't fear the devil. You do not fear challenges. We are born again not against. We are circumcised not uncircumcised. This man should fear us not the reverse. We should not look at the problem, rather we should look at God.” David had an attitude of confidence in His God. He was bold and we ought to be bold too. Too much timidity in the body of Christ. There are modern days Goliaths particularly in our western world carrying out parades from City of Toronto to New York, from London to Manchester. We must be bold to combat this monster and save ourselves and our children!
Lastly on David, remember the time Saul was pursuing him? A whole king with all the government machinery. More than six chapters of the bible was devoted to this hot pursuit. (1Sam 18-26). And God gave Saul to his hands? His lieutenants encouraged him to kill Saul. His response was ‘touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.’ Compare that to the fall and die prayer of our generation against our perceived enemies today that we pray for open heavens. Even when Saul died and a stranger was looking for cheap credit thinking that David`s wish was the death of Saul, David dealt with him for daring to kill a man of God. Are you then surprised when God says in Psalm 89:20 I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him,21 With whom My hand shall be established;. No wonder, David never lost a battle. No wonder he was anointed three times; in his father’s house, over Judah in Hebron and over the entire nation in Jerusalem. I visited Jerusalem in 2011 and it was a beauty to behold the city of David more than a millennia after his death! Everywhere he went in his life time, the heavens were opening for David. Some people have no respect for their leaders in ministry. No respect for leaders in their office, church or college. No wonder your life is stagnated and your heavens are closed. What is your attitude? Listen, Attitude determines your altitude.
Are you always justifying the unjustifiable?
Time will not permit to talk about Paul and Silas in Prison, singing and praising God because they were imprisoned for the gospel.(Acts 16)
Summary
What do we learn from this people? What is the gateway to open our heavens?
1. Be optimistic. Your best is yet to come. Your situation will turn around. When I came to Canada I came with a lot of money. As I was buying this and buying that, I said Canada will vomit this money. It will happen. If God brought you here, he will take care of you. He that keeps Israel will not sleep or slumber. Only have an optimistic and not a pessimistic attitude.All those cries ``things are not easy`` are not languages of virtue. They cannot open your heaven.
2. Love your enemies. Matt 5:44. Don't despise your neighbor. Don't abuse your neighbor. He/she may be the ladder to your open heavens. Value the person close to you. Don't destroy him or her rather help the person. Provoking your neighbor, poking your neighbor, abusing your neighbor is wrong.
As a new comer to Canada, when looking for a job in Toronto they tell you who you know is what will get you the job. 80 percent of jobs is hidden while only 20 percent are advertised on the Internet and other places.
3. Persevere. One of the gifts of the spirit is long suffering Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
- means you suffer long. Nobody wants to be patient and build their economy. Nobody wants ‘Surulere’ (There is virtue in patience); everybody desires ‘Olorunsogo’ (Finished product). Microwave life. Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse. There is virtue in patience. You cannot be pregnant today and say you are tired of this pregnancy next month. There is a process of vision. You cannot be jumping from marriage to marriage. Job to job. Church to church. Patience is a virtue. (Read my book: Understanding Principle, Purpose, Power and People of Vision). God's delay is not God's denial. Your partner doesn’t have a job today that is why you are making the home uncomfortable, No. You are failing examinations today and that is why you want to drop out of school, no. Your business is down today, that is why you want to quit, no. Develop the attitude of persevering; your heaven will soon open.
4. Be a giver. Be hospitable. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35; Prov 11:24-25
5. Stand for the truth. John 17:17
I see a weakling attitude in our generation. Everybody wants to go the easy way. Down the drain.
Some things are not right; they are not God's position. They may be politically correct but they are not biblically correct.
1. God is against abortion.
2. God is against same-sex marriage
3. God is against indecent lifestyles, promiscuous life styles, alcoholism, drug addiction, revelry, party spirit, wearing tattoos on your body, worshipping idols, watching pornography, adultery, fornication, corruption, fraudulent and sinful life styles. God is against abuse - physical, sexual, financial, and emotional. Abusing your partner is a wrong attitude. Abusing yourself with hard drug is a wrong attitude. Prostitution is abuse of your body.
6. Focus on God not on your condition: Heb 12:2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. God is bigger than you condition. That your condition will pass away God will be forever. Even you will transit to heaven .God is unchangeable.
7. Pray through. Have you noticed that you are naturally a negative person? You have a corrosive tongue. You are constantly unhappy. Continuously depressed. That idea of someone slaps me and will turn another cheek is not for you. Yours is 'a fowl pours away my milk I will destroy all the eggs!' No you can change. This prayer conference is for you. Whatever challenges you are facing are not beyond the realm of prayer. PUSH-Pray Until Something Happens.
I see your attitude change for the best and I see your heaven opening. Glory to God.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Dr Dada, Amos lives in Toronto Ontario, Canada. He is the District Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church Bethel Toronto Canada. Reachable on amos.dada@gmail.com
