Open Heavens 19 January 2018: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – God’s foot soldier?
GOD’S FOOT SOLDIER? – Friday January 19th
2018
Memorise: Thou therefore
endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2nd Timothy 2:3
Read: 1st Samuel
17:32-37 (KJV)
17:32 And David said
to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight
with this Philistine.
17:33 And Saul said
to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him:
for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
17:34 And David said
unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a
bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
17:35 And I went out
after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose
against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
17:36 Thy servant
slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as
one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
17:37 David said
moreover, The Lord that
delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he
will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David,
Go, and the Lord be with
thee.
Bible in one year: Genesis
40-41, Revelation 18:1-18, Hymnal: Sing hymn 14
MESSAGE
Since Satan was cast out of heaven, he has been waging war against everything that represents God and godliness on the earth (Matthew 16:23, 2nd Timothy 3:12). Satan was cast out because he decided to rebel against Almighty (Isaiah 14:12-15). His current game plan is to deceive as many people as possible into rebellion against God, so that they will also join him in the Lake of fire, which is the eternal place of punishment prepared for him and his cohorts (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). To destroy the works of the devil on earth and to manifest the plan of God for mankind, God has chosen to raise an army to Himself among men. If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you are part of this army. As a soldier in God’s army, in Jeremiah 51:20, God declares these words to you:
Since Satan was cast out of heaven, he has been waging war against everything that represents God and godliness on the earth (Matthew 16:23, 2nd Timothy 3:12). Satan was cast out because he decided to rebel against Almighty (Isaiah 14:12-15). His current game plan is to deceive as many people as possible into rebellion against God, so that they will also join him in the Lake of fire, which is the eternal place of punishment prepared for him and his cohorts (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). To destroy the works of the devil on earth and to manifest the plan of God for mankind, God has chosen to raise an army to Himself among men. If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you are part of this army. As a soldier in God’s army, in Jeremiah 51:20, God declares these words to you:
“Thou art my battle axe and
weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee
will I destroy kingdoms;”
The
nations and kingdoms in this declaration are not just physical, they are
spiritual. The Holy Spirit made this clear to us in Ephesians 6:12, and He also
teaches us that the weapons with which we wage war in God’s army are not
physical weapons (2nd Corinthians 10:4-5)
As a
soldier in God’s army, you need to take a cue from David in today’s Bible text.
He presented himself as God’s battle-axe and he mightily used of God to bring
into captivity every thought and arrogance presented by Goliath. presented by Goliath. It is
interesting to note that even Goliath, as huge as he was and as sophisticated
as his weapons were, did not reply on his physical ability or weapons alone. 1st
Samuel 17:43b says
“And the Philistine cursed David by his
gods.”
As
God’s foot-soldier, you need to know your God through and through, because only
those who know their God can perform valiantly at the battlefront (Daniel 11:32).
Because David knew his God, even without a sword in his hand, he boldly replied
Goliath with those words of faith in 1st Samuel 17:45-46:
“…. I come to thee in the name of
the LORD of hosts, the God of rhe armies of Israel, whom thou hast defiled.
This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from
thee….”
Action point
Using the Name of Jesus, speak
against every spiritual force contending with God’s plan for your life and
family.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church in the
world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
Sing hymn 14
14 ONWARD CHRISTIAN
SOLDIERS
1. Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching
as to war,
With
the cross of Jesus
Going
on before.
Christ,
the royal Master,
Leads
against the foe;
Forward
into battle,
See,
His banners go!
Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.
2. At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your Anthems raise!
3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We
are not divided,
All
one Body we-
One
in faith and Spirit
One
eternally.
4. Crowns and thrones may perish
Kingdoms
rise and wane;
But the Church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates
of hell can never
‘Gainst
the Church prevail;
We
have Christ’s own promise,
Which
can never fail.
5. Onward, then, ye people!
Join
our happy throng;
Blend
with ours your voices
In
the triumph song.
Glory,
laud and honor
Unto
Christ, the King;
This
through countless ages
Men
and angels sing.
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