Hello my friends!
This morning I was reading from the book of judges and came across one of my favorite scriptures. It's an obscure verse that the Holy Spirit has used to speak to me in the past, and it still speaks to me very powerfully today. Here it is:
**Judges 11:24 Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess.**
Jephthah says this in response to the Ammonite King's reply that he was going to attack Israel because Israel had taken the Ammonite's land. He told Jephthah to give back the land peaceably. Though Israel inhabited the land, the Ammonite's felt Israel had no right to be there, and they wanted their land back.
Jephthah saw it quite differently. Israel did have the right to inhabit and enjoy the land, because God had given it to them. And it was up to God to defend the land He had given Israel. Indeed He did. I'll let you read Judges 10-11 for the full story.
This story teaches me that we have an enemy who wants to take what God has given us. Our dreams. Our hope. Our joy. Our peace. Our freedom. Our marriages. Our families. Our confidence. Our authority. Our power. Our identity. Our gifts and abilities.
All these things and more have been given to us by our lavish Father. They are ours to enjoy, and to keep.
And yet, we have an enemy who wants to take these things away. But he can't. He can, however, deceive us into giving them to him peaceably. That means without a fight. We can allow him onto our land, sitting back passively as he takes what is ours.
_**John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.**_
Or we can rise up with righteous indignation! How dare that quivering, evil, tyrant threaten to take what he cannot take! What God has given us, is ours to possess! So our God will give us the power to defend and fight for what is ours.
**Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.** Ephesians 6:10-12
Take note. We don't deserve what God has given. We can't earn what God has given. It is ours because God has chosen to lavish is amazing love, and generous gifts on his children.
This morning I was reading from the book of judges and came across one of my favorite scriptures. It's an obscure verse that the Holy Spirit has used to speak to me in the past, and it still speaks to me very powerfully today. Here it is:
**Judges 11:24 Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess.**
Jephthah says this in response to the Ammonite King's reply that he was going to attack Israel because Israel had taken the Ammonite's land. He told Jephthah to give back the land peaceably. Though Israel inhabited the land, the Ammonite's felt Israel had no right to be there, and they wanted their land back.
Jephthah saw it quite differently. Israel did have the right to inhabit and enjoy the land, because God had given it to them. And it was up to God to defend the land He had given Israel. Indeed He did. I'll let you read Judges 10-11 for the full story.
This story teaches me that we have an enemy who wants to take what God has given us. Our dreams. Our hope. Our joy. Our peace. Our freedom. Our marriages. Our families. Our confidence. Our authority. Our power. Our identity. Our gifts and abilities.
All these things and more have been given to us by our lavish Father. They are ours to enjoy, and to keep.
And yet, we have an enemy who wants to take these things away. But he can't. He can, however, deceive us into giving them to him peaceably. That means without a fight. We can allow him onto our land, sitting back passively as he takes what is ours.
_**John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.**_
Or we can rise up with righteous indignation! How dare that quivering, evil, tyrant threaten to take what he cannot take! What God has given us, is ours to possess! So our God will give us the power to defend and fight for what is ours.
**Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.** Ephesians 6:10-12
Take note. We don't deserve what God has given. We can't earn what God has given. It is ours because God has chosen to lavish is amazing love, and generous gifts on his children.
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