Text: 1 Samuel 7:3-14
Memory verse:
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zechariah‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬ ‭
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Since perfection requires that lost, stolen or damaged things be restored, God fights against our captors and oppressors, who in most cases, will not want to willingly release what they had stolen. For you to enjoy perfection in all or any area of your life, you need to ask God to fight your enemies ‭‭(2 Thes‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬).
In our text today, the Philistines had oppressed Israel for so many years. They had defeated Israel in battle and taken away the Ark. Even though Israel fell because of sin, yet God defended His glory by judging all the cities of the Philistines where the Ark was placed, with tumor and death, until they finally returned it. Having also seen the wrath of God, the Israelites were afraid to come near the Ark but took it to the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim, where it remained for twenty years. Now, as Israel gathered together to repent and to return to God, the Philistines went up against them again (‭‭I Sam‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬).
There are powers that don’t want you to be free or to enjoy your Christian life, marriage, health, finance, children and so on. They gather to attack anytime you make an attempt to be free by repenting from sin, committing yourself to God, attending revival or deliverance program etc. But that is not the time to fear or to draw back but the time to cry more to God. For the Lord will be jealous for your sake and will release His wrath on your pursuers.
It took God to deliver Israel from the Philistines. And He didn’t just deliver, He made Israel to subdue them and the cities which the Philistines had seized were restored unto Israel. “Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. …” (‭‭I Sam‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬).
Friends, repent of all sins and return to God today to draw the wrath of God against your enemies. The Almighty will plunder your oppressors and all your stolen inheritance shall be restored to you in Jesus name.

Prayer points
1. O Lord of Hosts, please, arise for my help to fight against all my enemies in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, please, let all my inheritance that my enemies had seized be restored to me in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations
1. Repenting from sin and returning to the Lord makes the Almighty to be jealous for my sake and to plunder my adversaries.
2. I am precious to the Lord and he who touches me touches the apple of the eyes of the Almighty One.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng