Morning by Morning, February 12 - Empowered to Overcome
Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of kings and Lord of lords, be King of my heart and Lord of my life. ...
"Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down, and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great; they killed none of them, but carried them off, and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with them raise their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep. David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:1-6).
Just as David faced his physical enemies in the Amalekites, we face our spiritual enemies in "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Like David, we are under attack from "the thief (who) comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Our spiritual enemy is "like a roaring lion (who) prowls around, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). And sometimes in the pressure of the attacks and the confusion and grief of the loss, even those around us can turn against us "bitter in spirit."
But like David, we must strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God (1 Samuel 30:6). Though others forsake us and abandon us, turn against us and attack us, You never will (Hebrews 13:5). Though the enemy of our souls seeks to devour us and destroy us with everything dear to us, Your Word reminds us "the One who is in (us) is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). You encourage us with Your words "that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NKJV).
David didn't panic and David didn't give up. David didn't decide to take the advice of Job's wife in the face of Job's spiritual battle and personal devastation to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). No. He did quite the opposite.
David "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Then he "inquired of the Lord" (v. 8). And in the guidance and strength of the Lord his God, he "went on pursuit" to take back what the enemy stole from him (v. 10). "David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not one of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled" (v. 17). And when the smoke cleared and the battle was over, "David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David brought back everything" (v. 18-19).
And by the same power of the grace of God, may we strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God in the face of every attack from the enemy of our souls. May we be empowered to overcome. May we remember to seek You instead of sink in self-pity. May we be empowered to arise and pursue instead of turn tail and flee. And may we remember and experience the truth of Your Word that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us ... convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor power, nor heights, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will be strengthened in the Lord, empowered to overcome through every battle you may face, taking back all the enemy ever tries to steal from you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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