OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28TH 2024
TOPIC: LET HIM FIGHT FOR YOU
MEMORISE:
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” - (Romans 12:19)
READ: EXODUS 14:10-28 (KJV)
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
MESSAGE:
There is no place in the Bible that says you are to fight for yourself. Rather, what the Bible says is, “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14). Also, the memory verse for today says that you should not avenge yourself, for vengeance is the Lord’s.
The reason God tells you not to fight for yourself or avenge yourself is that you belong to Him, and He is responsible for you. Therefore, if anyone comes to fight you, He is the One who will stand up to fight. Hence, whenever you fight for yourself, you are telling God that you own yourself and you can take care of yourself. In essence, you are telling Him to stay out of your matter. Believe me, if God stays out of a person’s matter, he or she is finished (Lamentations 3:22).
Some people think that they are strong, therefore, they are quick to stand up to any fight. As for me, I know that I am not strong at all. If you see any strength in me, it is because Christ strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Without Christ, I am just a weakling. This is why, whenever I am faced with any opposition, I always tell whoever is confronting me, “If it is me you are fighting, you have won, even before the fight starts, because I have no power. However, if it is God you are fighting, then I pity you.” This has always been my disposition because God has assured me of rest and safety in Him. I know that in quietness and confidence shall my strength be (Isaiah 30:15), for I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me (Romans 8:37). Ever since I made the decision to put all my trust in Him, He has never let me down and He never will (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Beloved, you are stronger when you are quiet and confident in the ability of the Lord to fight for you. People who confront you already think that they are stronger than you, therefore, when you shout and try to fight for yourself, you will only make them feel stronger. However, when you are quiet but confident, they will know that the One who is greater than the greatest is behind you, and they will leave you alone. If they however choose to continue to challenge you, they will be destroyed by the Lord of hosts whom you put your confidence in.
KEY POINT:
Put all your trust in God and He will fight for you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 CORINTHIANS 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN: 19 - ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME
1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.
2 Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.
3 Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
4 While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
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