FAITH CAPSULE: Allow God to fight your battle.

2 Chronicles 32:1-26

Sennacherib king of Assyria went against Israelites when he entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. What is camping against you? What is taking a stand to win against you? Whatever is against you is a battle against you. In the case of the Israelites, Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem. Hezekiah did not take battle by himself nor allow the threat of Sennacherib subdue his people but encouraged his people stating, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”(2 Chronicles32:7-8) Today, take encouragement in the word of Hezekiah in the face of your battle. It is strength to know that the arm of flesh will not overcome God’s help in the face of battle.
Do you know that the Lord is your God?
We know that we have never seen or heard of God losing a battle on behalf of His children. We also know assuredly that any battle that is lost is the result of man disallowing God to arise on our behalf. When trouble comes to one’s way and one begins to lose one’s rest, it is an indication that one is taking one’s battle away from God. When you lose your rest in the face of battle you fail to stand still. When you are no longer standing still, you are not far from falling down. Many have fallen; many are falling in the face of different battles because they have not let God fight the battle. The Israelites confessed negative at the crossing of the Red Sea when they spoke to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?  Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11-12)
The Israelites failed to speak right and it disallowed God from rising on their behalf. Moses responded in faith, “…do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight your battle and you shall hold your peace.’” (Exodus 14:13-14) In the face of your battle, gain strength in confessing positive, rest in the power of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the power of God on your behalf in the time of battle.

FAITH CAPSULE: Make the choice to abhor wickedness and not to sin before God.

Genesis 39

Joseph ostracized doing wickedness and sin before God. Genesis 39:9 recorded Joseph’s seeking of God, “…How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” What a man is doing before God continually will count and determine if a man seeking before God. Joseph was continually against wickedness and not sin before God. All great wickedness is not hidden from God. Wickedness does not escape in the eyes of God. Above all, great wickedness before God is having the word of God in the mouth but far from the mind. (Jeremiah 12:2) The onset of greatness wickedness towards Joseph is recorded, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” (Genesis 37:3-4) From junction of great wickedness of hate from Joseph’s brother towards Joseph was great wickedness but God’s mercy repeatedly answered for Joseph.
Great wickedness was activated towards Joseph when:
Joseph’s dream of greatness provoked his brother’s great wickedness with attempt to kill him but later sold him to slavery which took him to Egypt. Joseph was not in position to do wicked in return to his brother’s great wickedness but he found favor before God. In Egypt, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. While Joseph was with his master Potiphar, the Lord was with him, and he was a successful man; his master saw that the Lord was with him. While he was there, great wickedness located him when he refused to lie with his master’s wife. Master’s wife accused Joseph before the Potiphar saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” (Genesis 39:17-18)
Great wickedness of Master’s wife accusation brought Joseph to prison. As he was in the prison, he interpreted dream which granted the attention to also interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream promoted Joseph from prison to become Prime Minister of the whole land. All through Joseph’s journey, there was no record of him responding to great wickedness with wickedness and God gave him favor. Joseph’s brothers unknowingly, sought for food at Egypt in time of famine when they located Joseph but he received them by not paying back wickedness to his brothers.  Joseph left home at age seventeen and could not reconnected with his father at age thirty plus. Joseph was delivered from great wickedness all through his journey because there was no attempt of wicked vengeance from him. Joseph despised wickedness and not sin God; he continually served God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to be a part of doing wicked all the days of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Serving God diligently is continually serving God.

Daniel 1

The living Word of God is not a fiction or made up story. The living Word of God is secret for man with understanding. With understanding of the secret of the Word of God, deliverance is set in place for man. The bible recorded the story of Daniel’s deliverance in the den of lions. Daniel was set for destruction when he made the choice not to serve any other God. King Darius was pleased when he placed Daniel among three governors and he distinguished himself because an excellent spirit was in him. As a result, “…the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm, the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.   Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:3-5) Daniel as a governor which was surrounded by other governors as enemies attempting to destroyed him. Eventually, he was set and placed in the den of lions. King signed reluctantly for the order which placed Daniel in the den of lions but cared to check Daniel’s well being as stated in Daniel 6:18-20, “Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. ¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰ And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Daniel was delivered in the den of lions overnight without a scratch from hungry lions. Daniel responded to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me.” (Daniel 6:21-22) The story of Daniel’s deliverance was not a made-up story. Any man with understanding in the secret of Daniel’s deliverance will not be a victim in the hand of evil agenda. Daniel’s secret for his deliverance was: He continually served God.
Are you an acclaimed believer that pleases self in the way of seeking God or pleases God in seeking God?
Daniel’s way of seeking God are:
Daniel, since his early days purposed in his heart not to despised himself. (Daniel 1:8)
A purposed heart not to despised self for God does have a custom, a schedule, an uncommon relation with God.
Daniel had a custom of praying and thanksgiving to God.
Daniel, with committed schedule, he was praying three times a day before God.
There was no fault against Daniel and he was faithful to His God.
Following God is continually serving God. Daniel continually served God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to continually serve Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you lacking understanding of the word of God?

Luke 7:11-35

Wisdom is power of God for man. 1 Corinthians 1:24 stated, “…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:30 also buttressed that Jesus “became for us wisdom from God.” Jesus is our wisdom from God. Understanding is the ability to listen not just to hear. Jesus, at a point responded to unbelieving believers concerning lack of understanding, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) Obviously, it is possible to hear but not listen to get message in man’s life. Lack of attention is the root of lack of listening which is listening disability. With listening disability having knowledge (a knowing edge) in the face of challenge becomes impossibility. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge are crucial for man to know God rather than knowing about God. In this wicked world, man must understand the wisdom of God to know how to have edge in all situation.
Are you lacking understanding of the word of God?
Consequence of lack of understanding can be exceedingly painful in the life of man. Ever since the bible days until today, lack of understanding has been reducing man from entering God’s promise of rest for man. Imagine disciples of Jesus with the lack of understanding of crucifixion and resurrection which Jesus repeatedly revealed to them. Truly, as revealed to His disciple He was crucified and resurrected on the third day. On the day of resurrection disciples of Jesus were shut-up in a room because of fear which was the lack of understanding of resurrection of Jesus. On the same day of resurrection, two of His disciples were on when they demonstrated lack of understanding of Jesus’ resurrection. On their journey to Emmaus, they were so sad instead of celebrating Jesus’ words which was manifested. Sadness blinded them as they could not recognize Jesus as their company while they journeyed. Resurrection was to be celebrated but not be taken as sadness and confusion. With understanding, resurrection, the power of God is meant to be for rest then, today and future. If disciples that spent time with Jesus when He was here could not understand and enter His rest, how can the present age should gain understand from Jesus and rest in Him?
John the Baptist preached Jesus. When baptizing Jesus, John heard the voice of God saying this is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17) yet he does not understand Jesus enough to rest in the promise of God. Despite John’s relation to Jesus in person, his lack of understand of Jesus became glaring when John’s disciples went to Jesus as stated, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’” (Luke 7:20) Imagine the level of understanding of John the Baptist. What is the level of your understanding to be able to gain the promise of God which is rest?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of His understanding in life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The rest of God for man is in His word.

Hebrews 4

Recognition of the Word of God is written in John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” The Word of God is Eternal, Everlasting, Undying and Unending. The Word of God is God. The more any man hears the word of God through His voice or in the pages of Bible with attention the more man should get to know and understand God’s will and purpose in the life of man.
In this wicked of world, the glaring will and purpose of God for man is His promise. The promise of God is His rest for man. The rest of God for man is in His word.
Moses in His journey asked God for His way and God responded in His word saying “…My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14) Obviously, the word of God is His way; His way is His presence that gives His rest. The promise of God for man is His rest.
Hebrews 4 talked that the promise of God remains to be in place for entering His rest but there is indication of being coming short of it. (Hebrews 4:1) Without doubt, the promise of God which is rest has been missed by some in the days of bible. The reason for being coming short of the promise of God is stated that, “…the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”
Just as it was in the bible days and among today’s believers, to hear the word and not being profited is the evidence of not mixing what is heard with faith. Mixing faith and being profitable is by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Hearing by hearing is the continuous, consistent way to bring word alive in the life of man to be in the promise of God which is rest.
Whatever you have heard from God, add faith to it (faith is hearing and hearing by the word of God) Man that turn to hearing, hearing and hearing by the word of God will enter the promise of God which is rest of God.
Manifestly, the word of God is alive, the word of God is the power of God. Man, that is obedient and not be living disobediently to the word of God is certain to enter rest as promised by God.

Prayer for today: As God for the grace not to miss His presence all the days He has given you under heaven.