Open Heaven and Showers Of Blessing

If you have been praying to God, and the heavens seem like brass, I would like to share with you the story of a Canaanite woman who had a spectacular encounter with Jesus. From the biblical account of this woman, you will see that there is a shout and worship from the heart activated by an understanding of God’s character with which you can open heaven, establish a two-way communication with God and induce showers of blessing. You can pray and go through the motions of worship, but God will not hear unless there is an open heaven. And if God does not hear your prayer, how would He answer it?

In short, if you are ready to shout, come to Jesus, worship Him, listen for His voice, present your case to Him knowing that He is open to reason, keep your heart on your desires knowing that He is generous, kind and merciful and think possibility - regardless of your background or history, if you would disregard the unhelpful opinions of men and limiting religious tradition, God is willing and able to do a new thing just because of you (Isaiah 43:19)!

As you meditate along and receive insight, and begin to act on what you learn from this article, I expect the heavens to open over you, and your desires to be delivered into your hands. Glory! If you can believe, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVES (Mark 9:23).

The story of the woman I have in mind is in the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 15, verses 22-28:

And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

This woman approached Jesus seemingly ‘unqualified’ to be blessed or to receive from the Lord, but she left with her need met. She also received one of the greatest tributes anyone could expect from the Lord. Look at what Jesus said concerning her:

“O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”

When you consider that Jesus said if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing will be impossible to you (Matt 17:20), then you can imagine the treasure we can locate by fully understanding the experience of this woman with Jesus.

I believe with the keys I am about to show you from this passage, you can level ANY mountain; break the strongest resistance, and release the flow of God’s blessing. Glory!

Like all precious things in the kingdom of God, however, all the keys will only operate, according to the condition of your heart.

For the LORD does not see the way man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

So be ready to trust the LORD with ALL your heart [that is, leave no room for doubt] and lean not on your own understanding [that is, lean on the Word of God instead].

SHOUT!

In the eyes of man, including those of the disciples of Jesus, the Canaanite woman was not entitled to receive from God, for:

His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” (Matthew 15:23)

I believe when the Bible says “she cries out”, she was not sobbing or shedding tears, but calling out to Jesus loudly in order to get His attention.

Jesus’ disciples were however not pleased with this woman. For them, she was too noisy because:

She cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” (Matthew 15:22)

To them, she was not dignified enough. She did not behave in a way that was acceptable to them. In their judgment, she has had her say, Jesus had heard her, but had chosen not to answer, and she should be content with that. To them it did not seem to matter that she was in need. They just did not want her crying after them. As far as they were concerned she was an embarrassment. They were actually asking Jesus to send her away. But the good news is that the Lord cannot, and will never ignore a shout from a believing heart. In spite of His disciples:

He [Jesus] answered her and said to her … (Matthew 15:24)

Never mind at the moment the detail of Jesus’ reply – the disciples wanted to send her away, but Jesus answered! Glory! If man or circumstances have been telling you several reasons why God will/should not answer you, I want to remind you that the promise of God is this:

Jeremiah 33:3 Call on me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

That is the promise of God. The Almighty God, Who cannot lie, The Maker of the heavens and the earth, will answer you. Glory!

God is too good, too merciful to ignore a cry from a believing heart!

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him (Psalm 103:11).

If you want to see the President of this nation or call him on the phone, just think what protocol you will need to go through. Chances are that you will encounter several secretaries along the way, rather like those disciples of Jesus, who going by outward appearance, may ask to send you away. Not so with God:

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.

In spite of any obstacle that there may be in your way - be it lack of qualification, your past history or religion, God is too good and too merciful to ignore your cry from a believing heart!

Such was also the cry of blind Bartimaeus that Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called and by the end of their conversation, he left with his sight fully restored (Mark 10:46-52).

Remember also how the wall of Jericho came down – it was after the sound of a trumpet and a great shout (Joshua 6:20).

If you have a serious obstacle in your way, such as not being able to hear from heaven, you need to know how to cry out to the Lord until you get an answer.

Until a communication channel is open, whatever you say is not heard, just as you will not be heard, if you were to speak into a phone before you have a connection.

Just as a shout gets attention on earth, a purposeful shout from a believing heart resonates at heaven’s frequency and gets attention in heaven. Glory!

By the way, have you ever considered why praise usually precedes worship? Here is one good reason: A good shout of praise opens heaven and creates a highway for God’s manifestation.

WORSHIP

Now let us look at what Jesus said after the Canaanite woman got His attention:

Matthew 15:24I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel

Anytime God speaks, you become wiser that you were before, because the entrance of His word gives light and understanding (Psalm 119:130). Glory! If you don’t know what obstacle is in your way, how will you remove it? But praise God, in His presence the night shines like day (Psalm 139:12). For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light (Luke 8:17). That’s why it’s so important to call to Him. Call Him by name: Jehovah. Everlasting Father. Almighty God. My Lord and My God. The Most High. Jesus! Shout! Call until you get an answer!

The answer the Canaanite woman got revealed another obstacle in her way, but did she give up? No. So, how did she respond?

Matthew 15:25... She came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

She came closer to Jesus. Intimate worship is not possible from afar. So she came and worshipped Him. Her heart leapt forward at the sound of Jesus’ voice. Here was her opportunity to converse with Jesus. And she took it! – Lord, help me! She worshipped Him. By now she was probably on her knees. Glory!

Although Jesus was not sent except to the lost sheep of Israel, as she worshipped Him that did not seem to matter anymore. She had first got His attention by shouting for Him; now with her worship, she’s keeping His interest and with the communication channel now wide open, out popped another revelation!

Matthew 15:26It is not good [or rather, ‘not right’, as in NIV rendition] to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.

THINK POSSIBILITY

Now what more can this woman do? Will the LORD do something that is not right? Will He take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs? Did you say that’s impossible? No, think possibility!

That is what God says:

I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.

Which I would interpret as saying, “I am God: I reserve the right to show mercy if I want to!”

Glory!

Now it all depends on what you think:

Proverbs 23:7 For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

With her heart set on her desire to see her daughter delivered and an unspoken assurance that God is a merciful God and unflinching belief that there is nothing too hard for God, the Canaanite woman could see a way out and so reasoned with Jesus:

And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (Matthew 15:27)

Yes, Lord: It is always wise to agree with God. Once you agree with Him, you have opened the door for His mercy to flow into your life.

Yes, Lord, but have mercy. To which Jesus replied:

O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire (Matthew 15:28).

But how did her great faith come? … By thinking possibility.

Hebrews 11:1 … Faith is the substance of THINGS hoped for ...

Behind every great action of faith, you will find great thinking of possibility, because it is what you think that determines and controls your action.

So, despite all the obstacles along the way; with a shout, an intimate worship and possibility thinking activated by the knowledge of God’s mercy, the Canaanite woman obtained her daughter’s deliverance and a great tribute from Jesus.

Now, if God was willing to do a new thing for a family who was outside the covenant, by overruling all obstacles in their way in a generous act of mercy, just think how much more He must be willing to do for you and I, who are redeemed; not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Think Possibility!

You too can open heaven and have your desires met if you will learn to shout, worship God and think possibility. Whether your desire is for you or for a loved one; with the keys revealed in this article, you can open heaven and experience showers of blessing. It is your turn to hear Jesus say: “Let it be to you as you desire.” Glory!

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20).

You will succeed in Jesus’ name! Amen!

Peace from God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Rev Ola Stevens