Bible Reading: Isaiah 36:1-end
“Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” – Isaiah 36:20(KJV).
When a nation loses their identity with God they become victim of satanic intimidation through the agency of man. The above scriptural verse was a statement made by the agents of oppression to intimidate and put fear in the heart of God’s people by the king of Assyria. It becomes worse when facts on the ground attest to the fact that he had actually defeated and humiliated those nations whose gods he claimed could not deliver them. Circumstances and adversity can intimidate a man with real facts on ground. These facts boost the intimidation level and makes it more severe and weaken our resistance. It is the strategy of the devil to showcase his strength in order for us to succumb and be incapacitated.
Our victory under such situation is our superior knowledge of God, His promises (His word), knowledge of who you are and your rights in redemption. When Goliath, the Philistine warrior, intimidated the host of Israel, David’s Knowledge of God and His promises brought victory to Israel. It is not on the day of battle we train soldiers for war. “ Then said David to the Philistine. Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defiled…And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands” – 1 Samuel 17:45,47 (KJV). These are not words of a novice in the knowledge of God and His word. They are the words and confidence of a man soaked in the knowledge of his God. They are words of someone who has experienced God and His power. When the enemy comes to intimidate you with failure and defeat, ill-health and disease, your victory over him can only come from your superior knowledge of God and His word. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” – John 8:32(KJV). It is the knowledge and declaration of truth that guarantee’s your liberty. Please note that Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Consequently, the knowledge of, believe in Jesus Christ and the knowledge of who you are in redemption releases your confidence and victory. You cannot be complete in Christ who is the head of principality and power (Colossians 2:10) and be cowed under the intimidation of the powers of darkness. Your victory is predicated on your knowledge of God and His Word. Therefore, it is expedient that we study and meditate on God’s word for therein is such knowledge. It is this knowledge the bible was referring to in Isaiah 59:19b, “… When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” The flood are the intimidations of the enemy, the standard that the Holy Spirit will lift is the word of God stored in you. The angels of God are assigned to bring to pass the action and the words you declare based on God’s Word.
Dear reader, it is on this note that Paul’s admonition to his son, Timothy, comes handy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV).
Prayer: Father give me grace to study your word to guarantee my victory in the battles of life.
Brother Joel Ezeugo