Day 8
This devotional was so timely! We are fighting a great battle and the Lord wants to know which of us are really going to stand strong in the face of the enemy. Take the leap into the battle using the word of God as our weapon!
“Be strong and courageous.”
Twice in Deuteronomy; four times in Joshua; three times in Chronicles
When it comes to bravery we have, on the one hand, “Brave” Sir Robin, from the comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” As he marched through the forest, his faithful bard extolled his bravery in song. “He was not afraid to die,” the bard sang. “He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways.” Throughout the song, the torments that “Brave” Sir Robin would gladly endure increased to ludicrous proportions. Sir Robin’s courage could be seen melting away on his increasingly terrified countenance. His true colors were shown at the very next opportunity, when he fled from combat in cowardly fear.
On the other hand, we have courage such as that demonstrated by Ray Blankenship: When he saw a little girl being swept away in the waters of a flooded storm ditch he leapt into the deep, raging waters after her as quickly as he could. They were swept violently downstream, and just before the stream disappeared underground beneath the road, he managed to grab a handhold on the bank and pull the girl to safety. Ray later received the Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal for the courage he demonstrated, which courage was magnified by the fact that Ray did not know how to swim.
“Brave” Sir Robin fled from the battle, while Ray Blankenship rushed directly in. Two very different responses to danger, each one demonstrating the inward condition of the heart. The Christian life is not for the faint at heart. It is not for those who will flee from challenges but is for those who will look into the flames and say with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it!”
We as a church must be prepared to wage war in the spiritual realm through intercession, sacrifice and obedience. The enemy will not give up in his attempt to steal, kill and destroy, and we must therefore not flag in our vigilance! Like David’s mighty men we will fight, for we are “more than conquerors” through Christ.
Prayer focus: Ask God, on behalf of yourself and those you are closest to, for supernatural courage. Intercede for the spiritual battles you believe could most easily hinder this work. Pray that God raise an army of warriors for the ministries of River Oaks Community Church and then enlist!
“When I was crossing into Gaza, I was asked at the check-post whether I was carrying any weapons. I replied: Oh yes, my prayer books.” Mother Theresa
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment