WHO IS YOUR GOD
Before deep into the word 👇
It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first.
Text: 2 Kings 18:26-37
26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Key Verse: “Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?” (2 Kings 18:34)
MESSAGE
In a village evangelistic outreach, a man of God shared his experience about the power of God with an old worshipping a local deity for years with her crippled son. Yet, the god could not heal the hopeless son.
The preacher then asked: “Why is your god not able to heal your son?” But the woman could not convincingly defend the failure of her god to change her son’s condition. He told her about Christ and His power in all situations.
She thus pledged to abandon her god for Christ if God could make him walk. After prayers of faith, her son rose and started walking. This testimony attests to the fact that the Lord is the true God, who is all-powerful and dependable in all situations.
As the case of the old woman, our text reveals the ignorance of Rabshakeh, a servant of the king of Assyria. Ignorantly, he equated God almighty, the Creator of the whole universe with ordinary idols. The text also explains the foolishness of Rabshakeh, who asked the people of Judah not to trust in God, who brought them out of Egypt. Despite the Assyrian threat, the people “held their peace, and answered him not a word.”
As Christians, there are lessons to draw from this account. First, only God has an unfailing and unlimited power. All other gods are powerless. Second, those who trust in the god of money, fame, politics, herbalist, or prophets will be disappointed like the people of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivah. Third, as believers, we should take solace in God, who is able to deliver as He did in threat and attack from our enemies.
Does your condition defy all solutions? Are your foes asking if your God is alive? Remember, God will surely deliver His people who put their trust in Him.
Thought For The Day: Only God our Creator can truly deliver.
The Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 36-38
MEDITATION
Spiritual psychological warfare
1. The spiritual psychology warfare tactics
a. It is a war before the war which the king of Assyria used against Judah. Satan uses it against the gullible saints of God.
b. It is meant to create fear in the heart of the enemies (the saints) by projecting *F* alse
*E* xperiences *A*appearing *R* eal, vv26,27.
c. It is usually directed against the vulnerable and those who are weak in faith in order to weaken them more, v27.
d. It involves deliberate boastings against the saints with mere words, v27.
e. The approach is meant to magnify the power of the enemies and weaken the resolve of the saints to fight and resist, vv28,29.
f. Information, at times, are deployed to underestimate the ability of spiritual leaders to win the battle, vv29,30.
g. Disunity against church leadership are introduced through divers means in order destroy the morale of soldiers of Christ, vv29,30.
h. It is all about deceit. It promises better solutions to challenges rather than waiting on God. Why were they fighting against Jerusalem if truly they have better place to give Judah?, vv31,32.
i. The enemies deliberately mastered the use of spiritual language to confuse the gullible who lacks spiritual convictions and win them to their sides, vv30,32.
j. The enemies appeal and concentrates on failure stories of some saints and project that as normal in order to depress the saints, vv33-35.
*Question: In what ways has the enemies being using those psychological warfare with the aid of your 5 senses?
2. The saints power over the enemies in warfare
a. The fact is that the enemies introduce warfare tactics out of fear of defeat. If not they could have rather gone to fight straightway.
b. Evidences of psychological tactics by appealing to the senses should strengthen our resolve to fight the cowards pretending to be brave.
c. The spiritual weapons are just enough to fight any enemy to finish and therefore they should be deployed confidently and authoritatively.
d. Ephesians 6:13-18 gives information about the invincible weapons at the disposal of the saints.
e. Check 2 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:37, I John 5:4, I John 4:4 to see why Satan introduces psychological warfare out of fear of the saints.
*Note: David and Goliath used these tactics against each other before fighting the battle proper.
PRAYER POINTS
LORD, I hereby refuse to be frightened, intimidated and depressed because of the psychology warfare Satan is waging against my life🙏
LORD, give me the spirit of faith and the courage of a conqueror🙏
Let the Holy Spirit always release the right word of GOD in my spirit for every tactic of Satan🙏
Arise O LORD and send the arrows of your word against all the weapons of the enemies against the Church🙏
*Happy weekend, beloved*
HYMN: Onward Christian soldiers
Representative Text
1 Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
see his banner go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
2 At the sign of triumph
Satan's host doth flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
on to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver
at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
loud your anthems raise!
[Refrain]
3 Like a mighty army
moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
where the saints have trod;
We are not divided;
all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
one in charity.
[Refrain]
4 Onward, then, ye people,
join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
in the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor,
unto Christ the King;
This thro' countless ages
men and angels sing.
[Refrain]
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