SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 19-20
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
In the ancient city of Corinth, a stone platform was constructed to support the Bema Seat (judgment seat) of the local officials. The seat was used to give out awards to athletes for their competitive performances (usually a crown wreath of leaves), but also to address legal charges brought against individuals. The Apostle Paul was quite familiar with this seat. This is where he was brought before Gallio, who was the proconsul of Achaia at the Bema seat (Acts 18:12). This Bema Seat was also used by Paul as a symbol of the “Judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11). In this context, Paul explains to us that this is where the Believer will receive an evaluation for works done in this life, whether good or bad.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 20:3
And he shall say to them, “Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them…”
In today’s reading there are at least two points to make: (1) The rule of Law (illustrated by the above picture), and (2) God’s presence and protection. In our courts today, “manslaughter” is the charge that may be brought against someone who accidently kills another person. While we don’t have “cities of refuge” today, there is a strong tradition of taking refuge in a church building. In recent years there have been examples of this, particularly when immigration law requires a person to be deported back to their original country.
War is a sad commentary on the human condition. The most difficult moral decision is choosing the lesser of two evils. If we fail to choose the “lesser,” the “greater evil” will win. Had Israel not fought, the surrounding nations would have destroyed God’s people by attacking, killing all, or by converting them to false religion. In the context of our lives today, let us take heart from the promise found in our key verse. As followers of Jesus, our enemies, if they are people, are to be loved (read Matthew 5:38-48). Our most destructive enemy is sin. We are constantly in a state of war. Identify the enemy (read Galatians 5:16-21). Now, prepare for battle, equipped with the knowledge gained from our key verse, and we will win not only a battle but the war itself. Amen!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You are God’s Word made Flesh. You, as the Light of the world, illuminate truth to me. Please help me to always examine the written Word in the light of Your person and work. In Your brilliant light I see, I perceive, I understand, and I conquer evil in Your strong Name. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
While a state may wage war (if I support a war, I must be convinced it is a just war. e.g. WW2 against Nazis who killed millions of Jewish people and many others), in my personal life I do not “fight…against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12). I find that this fight can be downright scary. To counteract fear, I’ve just read Ephesians 6:10-18. I must learn this lesson over and over again. For emphasis I’ll type out Ephesians 6:18, the secret to winning the war: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” The dictionary definition of “supplication” is “humble prayer, entreaty or petition with pleading fervently.” Having done this, I will no longer fear, but I will truly be a brave heart in every circumstance of life. YES! SO BE IT!!!
Yours for winning each battle and eventually winning the war,
David
P.S. Here is an additional photo that Reynold took in the ancient ruins of Corinth. The feet of that great warrior, the Apostle Paul, likely walked this very street.
This is one of the main streets in ancient Corinth.
Earlier this year before March 5th, Joshua 1:5-9 was given to me again. HE had revealed that we are challenged on every side but not forsaken a few years ago.
This time HE revealed that to be strong and of good courage were choices and not feelings. In May, I went to see a friend who is a Rabbi and he said that the word BE in the Hebrew means ONLY BE so this enforced the passage more! I have been walking through cancer (and am on the other side). Praise GOD. Teeth issues including abscesses, bone fractures, teeth breaking, and finances are stopping me from dealing with this. Bile duct issue is causing reflection on my other organs in my abdomen. PRAY FOR ME, PLEASE
Lord God I come before you on behalf of Dorothy! You know all her need re her health; I ask for Your intervention on her behalf. Your word tells us that You supply all our need, and that your desire for us is to be whole. I thank you for hearing and answering this prayer that You be Glorified. Amen!
Amen. May the Lord bless you Dorothy.
Dearest Dorothy
God bless you for posting, my heart goes out to you, I am sending you BIG XOXOXOXOXOXOXO. Lord this pp has a very strong spirit and we pray that You Lord will continue to Lift Dorothy higher than her health issues, we pray and Thank You Lord that You know EXACTLY what is happening; we ask Lord the You would heal her from the inside out! Grant her total healing; grant her the desire to want to dance and celebrate your kindness; we pray Lord that she is healed and will be able to reach out to others to help and serve them and share the healing she has received through Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour…..
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed by Thy Name!
We come in prayer to you, our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and to the sanctity of the Holy Spirit. We pray for Dorothy Sittler, who is dealing with cancer. Lord, You know all of her needs. We ask You to hear our prayer and bring healing and sanctification to Dorothy’s body, heart and mind. We pray for You to bring peace in her soul. In Jesus’s mighty Name. Amen, amen, and amen. God rest with you, Dorothy, dear sister-in-Christ.
We know that Joshua 1:5-9 was written to Joshua for him before he went to fight the kings to take over the land of Canaan. We also know that in Ephesians 6:12 says that we are fighting spiritual battles and not flesh and blood. Hate the fruit of the enemy and not the people that are appearing like enemies in our lives is brought forth in these passages. I know that the Old TESTAMENT is fighting the physical but the New TESTAMENT is fighting the spiritual enemy.
Amen!
I did not know how powerful Satan was until I came under his powerful influence.His attacks were in my mind and often woke me in the middle of the night.It was not until another Christian friend confided that she had this happening to her (on one night at the same time.) and waking her.It was then that I knew it was Satan and gradually he grew weaker with the Holy Spirit ‘telling me the truth’.The thoughts were contrary to reason (paranoia),not words but thoughts the mind turns into words.Satan can magnify our thoughts and emotions.I hope yall didn’t eat too much as many of us did yesterday.(I ate at the home of a very loving 99 yr old Christian lady,soon to turn 100.She loves the Lord and the scriptures.)
God bless
I had written this for Grieving Mothers but came to realize its broader meaning.Notes are attached.
Control (I believe this to be a fact.)
“….the one who has the power of death
—the devil.” Hebrews 2:14c (ERV)
Satan blends his thoughts with yours,
You think they came from you,
For his goal is to close all doors,
To control everything you do.
He starts this at an early age,
His lies make you the liar
And if you are in a rage,
That’s when you fuel his hellfire.
But just like Satan who sneaks in,
There is Another who is true,
For He knows well about sin
And what Satan wants with you.
He will only enter if invited,
A slave is not His goal,
He seeks a fire be ignited
From within to make you whole.
G W(Bill) Marshall / 13 June, 2013
“…. the evil one comes and snatches
away….” Matthew 13:19a (NIV)
Charles Stanley agrees in this video:
https://youtu.be/1j0j0XD_gsE
Amen, Bill.
Thank you for this mornings scripture interpretation; David Personal Words and prayer; and for continuing to post this daily manna!
Especially for the photos and the exposition of them; thank you Reynold for providing them and thank you Ron for posting them!
I pray your Christmas celebrations were just exactly as you had Hope; remembering that the “Reason for the Season” was the birth of Our Lord and Savior; May the New Year be one of Joy and Peace. This I pray for all you saints, Amen!
Amen, Irene!
Praise God for the protection of the Holy Spirit and Blood of Jesus over our lives. Wishing all saints a blessed day in the Lord.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12
Matthew West, Day After Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvM3Lp_BZeQ
Amen Beverlee!
URGENT! Please pray Swimco answers their phones, today is discount day on bathing suits HOWEVER they are not answering the phone, so, Lord give the company a head’s up that customers are trying to phone in, speak to the staff to answer the phones…in Jesus Name I Pray amen
Thank you Lord for the SNOW in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, lots of SNOW I am thankful, this will fill up the creeks and dams and small rivers in the forests and perhaps store water way up high for fire protection
Thank you Lord…Lord speak to drivers, remind them that they have families and friends who will be missed if an accident happens, help drivers to SLOW DOWN TY Lord in Jesus Name we Pray amen