“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord” - Isaiah 54: 17 (ESV).
In Uganda in the period leading to General elections very often one of the busiest offices visited are shrines that litter the landscape. Contestants approach them to seek the powers that will enable them win. You can imagine how much such really value serving the people whom they seek their votes. The people are certainly mere tools used in a game to seek and hold on to power.
Some people wonder if this practice of seeking witchcraft is new or limited here. The use of witchcraft to acquire power is actually an old practice much common in the history of mankind. In ancient Egypt when Moses walked up to the Pharaohs court to ask him to free the Israelis he met such practices. “Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts” (Exodus 7:11).
The Lord was very much aware that once challenged Pharaoh would turn to his sorcerers. He had put in Moses’ companion, Aaron, a staff which was now used to humble him. “The sorcerers came out with their staffs. Each one threw down their staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs” (verse 12).
The significance here is that the enemy has his dark forces in low and high places. Yet the power of our God is far much greater. Indeed this was the message which the Apostle John gave to the church. “You dear children are from God, and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (I John 4:4).
Today, as you go about know that whatever force that stands up to you, God’s power is far much greater and able to swallow up anything from the enemy thrown at you!
Prayer for today: Lord father in heaven, today I pray in the blessed name of Jesus, to draw upon and rest in that power you have left with us which is far greater than that of any force deployed against me!
Related upcoming events
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08/05/2024 - 09/05/2024 All day“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
The culture of sharing gifts runs through scriptures and is at the heart of the Gospel. Upon realizing that Jesus Christ had been born the three wise main did not just go empty handed. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mathew 2:11).
When Jacob decided to return to his country, he went with gifts to soften the heart of his twin brother Esau, whom he had left maddened at him for various wrongs. “Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys” ( Genesis 32: 13-15). The reason was, Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp” (vv 2—21).
Esau was already a wealthy man and had no need of the gifts presented. But Jacob pleaded with him. “Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift” (Genesis 33: 11). This symbol of good touched Esau, brightened his heart, burying the old acrimonious relation.
Taking after these two instances believers should be in the habit of sharing gifts. We should visit each other not empty handed but like the wise men with gifts, not so much that those we are gifting are lacking, but as a way of blessing them. Proverbs 11:25-26, says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Most importantly we bless each other with gifts because we have received the most important gift there is in life, the gift of salvation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I thank you for the most precious gift of all that you gave me of eternal life through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and so I pray that I may not hesitate to share this gift and bless those with as much whom you enable me to meet, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
