2024-12-07
Ephesians 6:11 NLT
The Bible says: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (vv. 10-12 NLT). Note the words “against mighty powers in this dark world.”
When Daniel prayed, he encountered those mighty powers. “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me” (Daniel 10:12-13 NLT). Note the words “blocked my way.”
When you are committed to walking with God and doing His will, Satan will try to block you at every turn. If he cannot keep you from spending time in prayer, he will try to block your prayers. For twenty-one days, Daniel wondered, “Lord, you have answered my prayers before; how come you’re not answering them now?” But Daniel’s answer was on the way. And yours is too. Christians used to speak about “praying through.” It means standing firmly on the Word of God, praying in the all-powerful and all-prevailing name of Jesus, refusing to become impatient, refusing to quit, knowing God hears and answers our prayers.
Soul food: Gen 37-39; John 17:1-26; Ps 147:1-11; Ecc 3:5-8
2024-12-06
2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV
The Bible calls Satan a schemer. Now, when someone schemes against you and you’re unaware of it, you don’t take defensive measures, and you can end up getting hurt. One of Satan’s most effective schemes is to downplay his influence in our lives. And he does that so that he can outwit us.
But the Bible says, “We are not unaware of his schemes.” The Bible speaks of things that take place in the invisible realm whose effects are felt in the visible realm. One day a conversation took place between God and Satan. What about? The hedge of protection and blessing that surrounded Job’s life. Satan told God, “If you remove that hedge, he will not serve you” (See Job 1:10-11).
So, God did, and Satan attacked Job’s finances, his children, and his health. Though Job’s mind was filled with unanswered questions, his trust in the goodness of God remained strong, and he ended up with twice as much. It can be a cop-out to blame everything on Satan, but it’s a grave mistake not to discern when he’s at work in your circumstances. When you feel the effects of his attack but fail to identify the source of it, he can prevail against you. Why? Because you don’t know how to fight back and use the weapons God has given you.
You have God’s Word, “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). But unless you identify Satan as the source of your problem, it’s like fighting blindfolded, and your sword is flailing in every direction instead of targeting Satan and defeating him.
Soul food: Gen 35-36; John 16:19-33; Ps 2; Ecc 3:1-4
2024-12-05
Exodus 2:3 NKJV
Moses’ mother put him in a basket, placed it in the river Nile, and the tide carried him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him and made him part of Pharaoh’s family. His next forty years would be spent preparing him for one of the greatest assignments of all time: the exodus. There is a lesson here. The river took him from a place of hopelessness and despair to a place where all things became possible. And God can do that for you too.
(1) The river of His grace can blot out your sins, clothe you in the righteousness of Christ, and bring you into a new relationship with God.
(2) The river of His power can carry you from the place of defeat to the place of victory.
(3) The river of His wisdom can carry you from the place of mistakes and confusion to the place of vision and success.
(4) The river of His provision can take you from the place of lack to the place of abundance.
This may mean God will have to disconnect you from those who tear you down because they don’t understand what He has called you to do and connect you with a new circle of friends. Or place you in a church that can build you up spiritually and help equip you to fulfill God’s plan for your life. As a slave, Moses’ mother couldn’t have introduced him to Pharaoh’s daughter. But God could. And He did. And what God did for Moses, He will do for you if you seek Him in prayer and follow His instructions.
Soul food: Gen 32-34; John 16:1-18; Ps 130; Prov 31:28-31
2024-12-04
2 Kings 3:11 KJV
Elisha started out serving Elijah and, in some ways, ended up surpassing him. In Bible days, servants washed the hands and feet of their masters. Elisha did that. He began with the humble task of pouring water on Elijah’s hands and ended up receiving Elijah’s mantle and using it to supernaturally part the waters of the river Jordan. For years he cooked meals, washed clothes, and set up Elijah’s tent. And when Elijah went to heaven, Elisha received a double portion of his spirit and ended up working twice as many miracles as Elijah.
There is an important lesson here. If you enter the service of the Lord wanting to start at the top, you will fail. Why? Because the only promotion that matters comes from the Lord (See Psalm 75:6-7). Knowing his time on earth was limited, Paul put in place a succession plan for his ministry. And if you’re wise, you will do the same. Speaking to Timothy, his designated successor, Paul writes, “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men” (2 Timothy 2:24 KJV).
When you try to compete with others or exploit circumstances to your advantage in order to get to the top, don’t be surprised if God blocks your way. When Peter started in ministry, he was like a racehorse that hadn’t been broken: highly strung, impulsive, ambitious. Later he wrote: “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:5-6 ESV).
Soul food: Gen 30:25-31:55; John 15:18-27; Ps 65; Prov 31:25-27
2024-12-03
Genesis 25:5 NKJV
Abraham gave Isaac two things: his material assets and a godly example. What could he not give him? A personal experience with God. Your children must experience God for themselves. Isaac’s God encounter happened when crisis hit his life. “The Lord appeared to him… and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you’… So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 26:24-25 NJKV).
Charlie Shedd told the story of a little boy in school who was asked to write an essay on the topic, “How was I born?” When he asked his mother, she replied, “The stork brought you.” When he asked his mother how she was born, she replied, “The stork brought me too.” Hoping his grandmother would help him, he asked her how she was born. She replied, “It runs in the family; the stork brought me too!” So, he began his essay with these words: “There hasn’t been a normal birth in this family for three generations!”
Seriously, your children must be born again in order to be part of God’s redeemed family. And you should endeavor to lead them to Christ when they are young, and their thinking can be molded. But if your children are older, it’s not too late. “Don’t cry any longer, for I have heard your prayers and you will see them again; they will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, says the Lord, and your children will come again to their own land” (Jeremiah 31:16-17 TLB).
Soul food: Gen 28:1-30:24; John 15:1-17; Ps 14; Prov 31:22-24
2024-12-02
Genesis 12:7 NKJV
After the flood, the first thing Noah did was build an altar to the Lord. Think about it. Noah had an altar before he had a home. Most of us have homes, but the old-fashioned family altar has virtually disappeared. Everywhere Abraham went, he built an altar. Why?
(1) An altar is a place of prayer. The Bible says that Abraham returned “to the place of the altar which he had made… And there Abram called on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 13:4 NKJV).
(2) An altar is a place of sacrifice. “Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar” (Genesis 22:9 NKJV). Did God want Abraham to slay Isaac? No, God just wanted to know, “Is there anything I could ask of you that you would be unwilling to give, or anything on earth you love more than me?” God will not ask you for what you don’t have, but He will often ask you for something you would like to keep. Sacrificial giving conquers the spirit of greed, the fear of lack, and your focus on self-centered living.
(3) An altar is a place of worship. “You shall make an altar to burn incense on” (Exodus 30:1 NKJV). As the incense melted and the smoke rose, it represented the worship of God. Worship is an act of intimacy; it’s the giving of your heart, your love, your praise, and thanksgiving to God. The Bible describes it as “a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:2 NKJV). So today, build an altar.
Soul food: Gen 25:19-27:46; John 14:26-31; Ps 146; Prov 31:18-21
