Having Done All To Stand – Page 3

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, April 02, 2018
Chapters: Judges 8-9
Message: Having Done All To Stand

Hello My Friend,

Christian prosecution is on a rise, all over the world people are being arrested, tried, and even killed for their faith in Christ. Evil is on a rise, people full of lust, greed, and hate over something they have no clue over are taking over and destroying the earth one protest, one act of terrorism, one act of cruelty at a time. It takes a stronger force than what we in our human abilities can do to battle all this evil and keep God’s people safe from it all, and that is Christ Himself. This is not a physical battle, it is a spiritual one, one in which only the Armor of God can see us through. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:12-13.

After their victory, the people were eager for a king, they urged Gideon to reign over them. While flattered, Gideon declined the offer, he would not rule nor wanted any of his sons to rule over them either. However, Gideon made one grave mistake that would cause many problems nor only for him, but his family as well.

“Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.” – Judges 8:22-27.

“the LORD shall rule over you.” Gideon declined the offer to be their king, reminding them that God was their ruler. No good man can be pleased with any honor done to himself, which belongs only to God. Gideon was wrong to have the ephod made, first, this was something only for the priests, and second, it was turned into an idol as people sought after it. No matter how many kings, presidents, or rulers we have here on earth, there is only One King and that is Jesus. “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” – I Timothy 6:13-15.

When people desire things that are against God’s will they completely forget about God and will do anything to get it. Gideon had seventy-one sons, out of all of them, one, Abimelech, wanted nothing to do with God and stooped to the lowest level to make himself a king.

“And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.” – Judges 8:29-35.

“And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God,” And this is how, we as a nation fall into a wicked and corrupt society. There are three things that fuel this world, lust, greed, and covetousness, people are never satisfied with what they have, always wanting what someone else has, and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Abimelech paid the men of Shechem to help him kill his brothers so he could take the throne that his father refused.

“And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.” – Judges 9:1-5.

“And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver” There is not one person that does not desire something that someone else has, but it becomes unhealthy when that desire turns into lust. Lust will take a person over the edge if it one does not get a handle on it. Look at the mess we are in today because Eve lusted over the fruit that she could not eat, then gave it to Adam, who apparently lusted over it as well. The key to not giving into lust is keeping ourselves busy doing God’s work. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” – Galatians 5:16.

It does not matter what you do, good or bad, you reap what you sow, eventually. It might have taken three years, but God was about to get vengeance on Abimelech and the men of Shechem for the death of Gideon’s sons, and he was going to use the devil to get them to fight with each other to do it.

“When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.” – Judges 9:22-24,55-57.

“Then God sent an evil spirit” God is always in control and will use any means to get vengeance on those whom use evil to get the thing that they want. The evil spirit, the devil himself was used as a means to bring the evil spirits of jealousy, treachery, and discord, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem as a way to avenge the murdering of sons of Gideon. The most effective way to get vengeance is to make the friends enemies. We, in our own power can never overcome evil, it must be dealt with by combining our faith with the power of God, these two together become one mighty force that not even the devil can break through. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” – II Thessalonians 1:6-8.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.” – Judges 8:23.

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the great power of salvation, by faith I am only trusting in Your Son to save me from death and hell. I know I have done some ridiculous things in my life that deserve hell, but I thank You for Your mercy to save me through my faith alone. While I know I can do nothing to merit my salvation I know I can do something to give thanks to You and show honor and gratitude for loving me and never forsaking me. I know I still mess up, but I want to live my life in Your will and by Your ways, I know that as long as I do You will protect me in this evil world. Lord, put Your full armor upon me, give me Your power to live in obedience to Your Word and let me not turn to any wicked way to obtain the things I desire. Keep me alert and aware of any person or thing that turns my desires into lust. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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