“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” ( 1 Peter 5:8).
One of the critical aspects of any army that wins over a territory is that once it possesses the territory it must figure out how to hold it. This is often by deploying guards in certain strategic positions. Behind these are also troops ready to be deployed in case the enemy surfaces back again. These guards watch the fort 24/7.
When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and had the structures in place against incredible opposition he knew his task was half finished. As the wall went up opposition mounted. The enemies were ready and determined to raid and pull it down. Wisely, he “prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” ( Nehemiah 4:9). When this did not stop them, “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows” ( vv 13). He went further, “half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor” ( vv 16).
It is through these conditions that the wall was successfully rebuilt. A lesson here is that when God opens doors for us and we possess the land, it does not mean relaxing thinking it is game over. In fact the enemy becomes even more vicious once a believer has taken over his space. Then he goes native. The Believer in Christ must therefore stay awake day and night in prayer, which is the surest guard against the enemy’s intrusion, lest he loses his possession.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you open doors for me and I take possession of the land help me be alert to any of the enemies dirty schemes that I may guard jealously all you have given me to prosper, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
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27/04/2024 - 28/04/2024 All day“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1).
In the wildlife, a common feature is predatory animals chasing after less ferocious ones, which on a bad day become good dinner. Through the savannah plains of Africa the antelope tends to suffer that fate. After a long chase from a mighty lion, cheetah or leopard; antelopes that survive tend to retreat to a fresh water spot. There they gladly refresh their quench with streams of water.
King David, must have been more familiar with deer, as there are more common in the Northern Hemisphere. For us in the tropics we can substitute the deer with our antelope, commonly chased by predators. After a long chase, of course all pant for pints of water.
The significance of this metaphor is that whenever we encounter any situation that puts us on a chase, where do we run to! Habakuk 3:19 says, “The Lord God give my strength. He helps me run fast like deer. He leads me safely on the mountains” (Habakuk 3:19).
Two things of note here. The Lord can make us run as fast as the fastest antelope being chased by a predator to a well of safety. And of course, as we run, we have that the well of God to end up to and refresh ourselves! This is why David wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today like the antelopes of the wildlife I run to you, to that well of life, which refreshes my soul, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
