IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 15, 2024.

SUBJECT : IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

Memory verse: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (Second Chronicles 7 vs 14.)

READ: Ephesians 6 vs 10 - 13: 

6:10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

6:11: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.

6:13: Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

INTIMATION: 

Trouble is the work of the evil one—the devil—the source of all evil that is seen in the world working with his demonic agents (Luke 13 vs 16; Acts 10 vs 38). In such times, we must seek the Lord. Satan is a permanent enemy of God who has continued to work against God to turn the world to his side against God. Though Christ came and defeated Satan, striping him of all powers, but he has continued to influence the world by subterfuge—deceptive stratagem—in order to destroy the work of God through Jesus. 

Through deception, Satan has instigated those institutions and governments that control society, especially to lead people against the truth of God. He has been deceiving the whole world through every means of intimidation of the evil environment in which the believers live. Satan’s means include plagues such as the world has always been at various times of history. We must be aware that Satan is alive and working in a deceived world of secular enticements and religious misdirection. Our awareness of such is the first step in preparing ourselves not to led astray. 

In the Old Testament days, before the coming of Christ, God gave four conditions, as stated in our memory verse, for forgiveness and healing: (1) Humble yourself by admitting your sins, (2) pray to God, asking for forgiveness, (3) seek God continually, and (4) turn from sinful behavior. Whether we sin individually, as a group, or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness, and subsequent healing. Humility and obedience to God’s Will is the hallmark of a repentant heart. Therefore, if we would have God answer our prayers, there must be humility and obedience to the word of God. Our sincerity is determined by our humility and our obedience. 

Jesus Christ came and freed the believers from the clutches of sin and Satan by His substitutionary work on the cross, and has given them the free gift of salvation. By confessing Christ and accepting the free gift, believers have met the four conditions given by God for forgiveness and healing stipulated above. Believers have been bought with a price (First Corinthians 6 vs 20), and He has given them rich and glorious inheritance, as well as His power of incredible greatness (see Isaiah 53 vs 4 - 5; Ephesians 1 vs 18 - 22). Now, with all these available to the believers, what will the believers do to safeguard themselves from the works of the devil and his demons? 

Believers must realize that, though they have been saved through the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, God does not take them out of the world nor make them robots, they are still in the world and will be subject to negative influences in the world caused by Satan and his agents. Therefore, they will still engage in battle of life but are assured of victory even before the battle. However, they are fighting not against the physical things of this world (flesh and blood), but against “principalities” and “power” (the powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by the devil). 

God has empowered the believers by giving them His Holy Spirit and His armor surrounding them. Believers must put on the whole armor of God is to be able to stand against Satan’s deceptions. Satan has deceived the whole world through various forms of intimidation and negative influences in the evil environment in which the believers live. To withstand these attacks through deceptions, the believer must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armor through the Holy Spirit fo battle. They face a powerful army, not mere fantasies, they are very real, whose goal is to defeat the body of Christ—the church. 

The believers strength is maintained if he or she remains in fellowship with the Lord who is the source of the supernatural power to defeat Satan. This imperative command places the responsibility of being strong on the shoulders of the believers. They must maintain the spiritual armor of the Lord by its strength they guard against the wiles of Satan. Although they are assured of victory, they must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who live on the Lord’s side. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for availing me of Your whole armor to battle against the rulers of darkness of this world, and my victory by the blood of the Lamb and with word of my testimony in Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!