KNOWING GOD ENGENDERS GREAT EXPLOITS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2021.

SUBJECT : KNOWING GOD ENGENDERS GREAT EXPLOITS!

Memory verse: "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong , and carry out great exploits, " (Daniel 11 vs 32) 

READ: Matthew 10 vs 1; Ephesians 3 vs 20; Second Timothy 1 vs 7:

Matthew 10:1: And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease.

Ephesians 3:20: 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,

2Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.

INTIMATION:

In our close relationship and knowledge of God, we draw more on God's power. In our memory verse, the Scriptures made it very clear in declaring, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." The great promise here is that in our close relationship and fellowship with the Lord, we realize the great powers of God made available to us, and consequently become more stronger, more powerful, and ready to take action. 

To understand this verse, we must understand a little of Jewish history. The Jewish people had faced many periods of intense persecution. Probably the most devastating period was under the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian King who reigned from 175 to 164 B.C. He changed his name to Theos Epiphanes, which means "the manifest God" He was literally insane with hatred for all Jews.

Prophet Daniel predicted rightly what course of events would take place under the leadership of Antiochus Epiphanes. The king ordered the Jewish sacrifice to stop, desecrated the temple with a "pig offering" on the altar, prohibited the observance of the Sabbath and the circumcision of children, set up idolatrous altars, and ordered all copies of Scriptures to be destroyed. To disobey was to incur his wrath in the form of an ancient holocaust. How would the Jewish people ever survive this atrocity? Daniel knew; "The people who know their God shall be strong for, and carry out great exploits,"

This is exactly what happened. A band of courageous men called the Maccabees led a heroic revolt against Antiochus. They were overwhelming, their exploits was nothing less than phenomenal. They knew their God, claimed His power, took action, and broke through the tyrannical stronghold of their enemy. And people today who truly have a sense of God's presence and guidance have at their disposal the same degree of courage and power. There is no other way to gain this spiritual power except through an intimate knowledge of God.

Prophet Daniel knew His God intimately. When the leadership of the Medo-Persian Empire prevailed upon King Darius to issue a decree prohibiting anyone from praying to any god or man except for the King or be cast into the lions' den,  Daniel continued to pray to the God of heaven (Daniel 6 vs 4 -15). He had no fear, because he knew God, and the people who know God will have the courage and strength to do His Will despite the odds. 

In the passages we read today, Jesus empowered His disciples. He gave them power over unclean spirits; to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease. God's power working in us does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. He has given us the spirit of power, that same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us through the indwell Holy Spirit. As our knowledge of Him increases and our friendship with Him develops, He makes His power readily available to us.

Prayer: Abba Father, all powers belong to You. With You nothing is impossible. Thank You for the gift of sonship, and Your power through the Holy Spirit that enables me to do all things through Your strength in me. With You victory is mine in all things. My utmost heart desire is an intimate relationship with You, that I may know You and the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, and what is the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in me, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!