THE GRACE FOR VICTORY

2 Kings 13:18-19 Then he said, ‘Take the arrows,’ and the king took them. Elisha told him, ‘Strike the ground.’ He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck the ground FIVE OR SIX TIMES; then you would have defeated Aram and COMPLETELY DESTROYED IT. But now you will defeat it only three times.

Everyone who enters into a fight…hopes always to win. But there is always a WINNER and a loser. However, there is another different angle to any kind of fight. Sometimes, you might win by default or sheer luck. Thankfully, as a child of God…who is constantly faced with different kinds of battles…our perspective in a fight is…or ought to be that one of a victor. Yet…in spite of this awesome knowledge, we at times enter into our fight UNARMED and UNPREPARED to endure through to the end. At other times, we have no strength to keep our hands on the WEAPON for too long. That’s what happened to the King of Israel.

Israel was ever fighting different kinds of enemies. Before each battle, according to the instructions, each king was required to inquire from the Lord through the prophet. In the account from 2 Kings 13, we see Jehoash, King of Israel consulting Prophet Elisha before going to fight the Arameans. And this was Elisha’s instruction to him.

2 King 13:15-17 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put HIS HANDS ON THE KING’S HANDS. ‘Open the east window,’ he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. THE LORD’S ARROW OF VICTORY, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. ‘YOU WILL COMPLETELY destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”

SHATTERED DREAMS: DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

2 Samuel 12:19-20 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realised that the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, ‘HE IS DEAD.” Then David got up from the ground. After he has washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and WORSHIPPED. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

SHATTERED DREAMS: How do you deal with the disappointment? Truth be told. There is no easy way to deal with the disappointment of broken dreams? But there is always a way…THE WAY! Every time I go back to read about David’s encounter in 2 Samuel 12, my heart is deeply stirred. Why? Because I see an attitude which is so rare today…yet is badly needed especially when all hope seems lost! Let me give you a little background on King David’s encounter. We all know about David’s extramarital affair with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. A baby is conceived…and a husband who has no idea about it…gets killed on the front-line to cover up for the King’s sin. But God cannot be mocked. He sends Nathan the Prophet to David…and uncovers his sin…and with it, the consequences which includes the death of that child conceived in an act of adultery. Of course, it would have been worse. But God spared King David’s life in exchange for his baby’s.

For seven full days and nights…David touched no food as He PLEADS with God to spare his son’s life to no avail. His whole household is also deeply affected by the unfolding events in the King’s house. On the seventh day, his child dies.

THE ANOINTING THIEF

Acts 8:18-20 When Simon saw that the SPIRIT was given at the laying on of the APOSTLES’ HANDS, he offered them money and said, ‘GIVE ME ALSO THIS ABILITY so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you can buy the GIFT OF GOD WITH MONEY!

You may or may not have encountered an Anointing thief. I am talking about the HOLY SPIRIT anointing. Let me explain. Counterfeit anointing…is something that is almost as old as the world itself. Even during the time of Pharaoh’s dreams in Egypt.

Genesis 41:7-8 …Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the MAGICIANS and WISE MEN of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no-one could interpret them for him.

And long before Jesus had come on earth, God had given these instructions to the children of Israel regarding the ANOINTING THIEVES.

Leviticus 19:27, 31…”Do not practise DIVINATION OR SORCERY. Do not turn to MEDIUMS or seek out SPIRITISTS, for you will be defiled by them, I am the Lord, your God.

A CALL FOR WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

Daniel 12:10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are WISE WILL UNDERSTAND.

We are living in the last days. Let me say it again. WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS. But let me stop at this. I am continually surprised at the foolishness of the intelligent….yes, of the intellectually intelligent! The one who has the ability to forecast almost about everything EXTERNAL, yet has no slightest clue about the forecast of the INTERNAL. Then there comes a time where the explanation of the external cannot bring relieve to the need of the internal. I saw it last week in my country, Poland. People reaching out for answers after the presidential plane crash. But instead of finding relief, I saw the multiplying of questions which seemed to lack any conclusive answers.

But now more than ever, I see a deep truth from the book of Daniel

But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the TIME OF THE END. MANY WILL GO HERE AND THERE TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. Daniel 12:4

Instead of reaching out for WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, I see people reaching out for

…BUT THOSE WHO KNEW JESUS…

Luke 23:48-49 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and WENT AWAY. But all those who KNEW him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, STOOD at a distance, watching these things.

It was on Good Friday that I first came across the above scripture. And it been the day of remembrance of Our Lord Jesus’ death, I had even thought about writing my thoughts from this scripture verses…but somewhat, I found another topic to write about. However, I told myself that sometime in the coming week, I would write from the above verses. Little did I know that it was the Lord who had restrained me until the proper time.

You see, the first thing that I notice which made me cry when I read the above scripture, was that even though many people who had gathered at Calvary had witnessed the events that surrounded Jesus until his death, many of them never STOPPED nor PAUSED to reflect on what had happened. For them, it was something unusual…but not strong or captivating enough to hold them back from the NEXT adventure in their lives.

ITS GOD’S ECHO

Isaiah 55:11 So is MY WORD that goes out from my mouth: It will not RETURN TO ME empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

ECHO can be defined as: the reflection of sound or other radiation by a reflecting medium, esp. a solid object; a repetition or imitation, esp. an unoriginal reproduction of another’s opinion; something that evokes memories; the effect that continues after the original cause has disappeared.

This morning I woke up with a heavy heart…an unusually heavy heart. I wanted to talk…but I didn’t seem to have the right words. What is the use, God? Why do I have to keep the words flowing? Who needs them? Without me…or my words, life will still move on. There is my manuscript…which is thousands of words put done in almost five years. But God…what is the use? Who needs these words? My heart ached. For a moment, I felt empty and spent. But…I got about doing my house chores while wondering what next.

Then I sat down on the computer to do something. But without words…or sensible words to write about for today, I heard God speak gently into my heart.

HIS DEATH: MY FREEDOM

Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death_ that is, the devil_ and FREE THOSE WHO ALL THEIR LIVES WERE HELD IN SLAVERY BY THEIR FEAR OF DEATH.

Someone may ask you or me. Are you afraid of death? Personally, I will say, YES, I am afraid of death…or maybe I am afraid of the dying process. Yet…no matter what your answer is on this one…fact remains YOU AND I WILL SOMEDAY go through that process. Sorry, friend. Its INEVITABLE!
But, some years back, I read the above scripture and understood something deeper. We as Christians…know that death is not the end…but the beginning of LIFE…of LIFE ETERNAL. Nothing is lost for the believing person when death occurs. But despite that knowledge, we live still as if death has power over us.

I like that word in Hebrew 2. Knowing that Jesus came and died on the cross for my sins is one thing. But understand that through His death,