OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
WILL YOU BE THERE?
MEMORISE: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” — John 14:3
READ: Revelation 21:1-27 (KJV)
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 21-23
MESSAGE BY: Pastor E. A. Adeboye
I. THE TULSA EXPERIENCE AND THE LIMITATIONS OF EARTHLY GLORY
The first time I travelled to the United States of America was in the summer of 1979, and I had an experience that can be described as heavenly. I stayed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in that beautiful city, I witnessed things that completely astonished me. The sun would still be up late into the evening, defying my regular understanding of day and night cycles. The streets were so clean that it felt like one could eat directly off them without fear of contamination. The bathroom of my hotel room had three distinct faucets: one providing piping hot water, another for comforting warm water, and the last for refreshing cold water. Furthermore, the electrical power grid never failed; the lights stayed on consistently without a single flicker, and everything was just absolutely fantastic.
After spending two weeks in that serene and orderly environment, the time came for me to return home to Nigeria. As the airplane began its descent and approached the runway, I looked out of the window and noticed a stark, undeniable difference between where I was coming from and where I was returning to. In those days, Nigeria was far less developed than it is now, and the infrastructure gap was immediately visible from the sky.
Beloved, my experience in Tulsa all those decades ago was magnificent, but it can in no way be compared to the actual majesty of heaven. The greatest architectural feats of humanity, the cleanest cities on earth, and the most advanced technological systems are mere dust compared to the city God has built. In heaven, there is no night at all because, as today’s Bible reading reveals, “…the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23). Heaven is an exquisitely beautiful place that no human being should afford to miss. I pray with all my heart that you will not miss it, in the mighty name of Jesus.
II. THE STRUCTURAL DIMENSIONS OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
To understand why heaven is worth sacrificing every earthly compromise for, we must gaze deeply into the blueprint shown to the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos. Heaven is not a vague, mystical state of mind; it is a real, literal, and structurally perfect kingdom designed by the Almighty Creator. The Apostle John saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, beautifully adorned like a bride prepared for her husband. The sheer scale and material components of this city defy human engineering limitations.
The city lies foursquare, measuring twelve thousand furlongs in length, breadth, and height—a perfect, massive cube of divine symmetry. The walls are constructed of pure jasper, and the entire city is built with pure gold, so refined that it resembles clear, transparent glass. The foundations of the city walls are not made of concrete or earthly stone, but are garnished with twelve layers of precious gemstones:
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Jasper – Representing the glorious radiance of God’s presence.
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Sapphire – Reflecting a deep, heavenly blue.
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Chalcedony – A stone of brilliant luster.
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Emerald – Shining with a rich, vibrant green.
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Sardonyx – Exhibiting complex, beautiful layers.
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Sardius – Glowing with a fiery red hue.
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Chrysolite – Glimmering like golden sunshine.
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Beryl – Capturing the beauty of the sea.
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Topaz – Radiating magnificent yellowish-green light.
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Chrysoprasus – Presenting a bright, unique green.
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Jacinth – Displaying deep orange and red tones.
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Amethyst – Crowned with a royal, majestic purple.
The twelve gates of the city are made of twelve solid pearls, with each individual gate fashioned out of a single, gigantic pearl. The main street of the city is composed of pure gold, looking like transparent glass. There is no physical temple building inside this glorious city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. There are no tears, no hospitals, no funeral homes, no cemeteries, and no pain, because the former things of this broken world have completely passed away.
III. THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF SONSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP
Heaven is God’s absolute promise to all true believers. Jesus Christ gave us a firm guarantee in today’s memory verse when He said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). If you have genuinely surrendered your life to Jesus and are following Him faithfully, your destination at the end of your earthly journey is mathematically certain: you will end up exactly where He is.
Consider a simple earthly parallel: when young children go to school in the morning, they spend their hours learning and playing, but they possess an unwavering assurance that when the school bell rings at the end of the day, they will return straight home to their parents. They do not wander aimlessly or sleep on the streets, because they know exactly where they belong and who owns the home.
Likewise, if God is truly your Father, you have an ironclad assurance that you will return home to reign with Him in eternity after your earthly sojourn is completed. However, we must face the hard truth: only those who have actively surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ can claim to be the children of God, and only His children possess the legal citizenship required to spend eternity with Him in heaven. You cannot reject the Son on earth and expect the Father to welcome you into His home in eternity.
IV. THE PROTOCOL OF SANCTIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY
Beloved, are you absolutely sure of where you will spend your eternity? This is not a question you should answer with guesswork, hesitation, or false confidence. If you want your stay in heaven to be legally guaranteed, you must not allow sin to find a lodging place in your heart. You must maintain a life of total consecration, fully committed to Jesus Christ, doing His perfect will at all times and in all seasons.
The gates of the New Jerusalem are kept permanently open because there is no threat of external invasion, yet the entry requirements are the strictest in the universe. Revelation 21:27 issues a definitive warning: “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” The text outlines those who will be explicitly excluded and thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death:
The Fearful and Unbelieving: Those who choose cowardice over faith and refuse to stand up for Christ.
The Abominable and Murderers: Those who participate in defiling practices and take human life.
Whoremongers and Sorcerers: Those who indulge in sexual immorality and occultic or demonic operations.
Idolaters and All Liars: Those who put anything above God and practice deception.
As for me, I have made up my mind completely. I have resolved to shun every form of secret and open sin, to trample underfoot the temptations of this world, and to remain unreservedly committed to Jesus Christ so that I can spend my eternity with Him in that beautiful city. I have packed my bags for this heavenly destination. The critical question remains: Will I see you there?
V. REFLECTION
Where will you spend eternity—in the brilliant glory of Heaven, or in the agonizing torment of Hell? Examine your life today.
VI. PRAYER / CONFESSION
Dear Lord God Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the Creator of the new heavens and the new earth! I thank You today for the beautiful place You have gone ahead to prepare for me. I acknowledge that this world is not my final home; I am merely a pilgrim passing through this earthly wilderness.
Father, I ask that You cleanse me thoroughly from every form of unrighteousness, secret fault, and defilement that could erase my name from the Lamb’s Book of Life. Grant me the supernatural grace to overcome temptation, to walk in immaculate holiness, and to remain fully committed to Jesus Christ until my very last breath. Let my eyes never lose sight of the New Jerusalem, and preserve my feet from sliding into the pit of destruction. When the roll is called up yonder, let me be found standing in Your glory, in the matchless and triumphant Name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
VII. FURTHER STUDY
Hebrews 11:16: “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
Matthew 6:19-20: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
2 Peter 3:13: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
HYMNAL: I’M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY
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I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining ev’ry day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith, on heaven’s tableland;
Where love, and joy, and light abound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. 2. My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
3. Beyond the mist I fain would rise,
To rest beneath unclouded skies,
Above earth’s turmoil peace is found,
By those who dwell on higher ground.
4. I long to scale the utmost height,
Though rough the way, and hard the flight,
My song, while climbing, shall resound,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground.
5. Lord, lead me up the mountain side,
I dare not climb without my Guide;
And, heaven gained, I’ll gaze around,
With grateful heart from higher ground.
PROPHETIC DECREE
I decree and declare that on this Monday, July 6, 2026, the deceptive power of worldly comfort, carnal satisfaction, and temporary wealth designed to blind your eyes to the reality of eternity is permanently broken by fire! Every demonic arrangement from the pits of hell calculated to cause you to compromise your faith, soil your garments of righteousness, and disqualify you from entering the New Jerusalem is shattered this very moment!
Because you have chosen to listen to this warning today, I decree that the Holy Spirit is reinforcing your inner man with high-velocity spiritual strength! You will not stumble at the finish line, your name will never be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life, and you will not be a castaway after preaching to others! The Lord is anchoring your affections on things above, delivering you from the net of hidden lusts, and granting you absolute victory over the spirit of this age. You shall walk in financial abundance, immaculate health, and total dominion here on earth, and when the curtains of time fall, you will step triumphantly into everlasting glory, in the mighty, matchless, and glorious Name of Jesus Christ! Amen! Hallelujah!
