The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 10 November 2024 — God Arise And Defeat The Enemies Of The Church
TOPIC: God Arise And Defeat The Enemies Of The Church
READ: Psalm 68:1-13 (NKJV)
- To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song. Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.
- As smoke is driven away, So drive [them] away; As wax melts before the fire, [So] let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
- But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
- Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him.
- A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, [Is] God in His holy habitation.
- God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry [land.]
- O God, when You went out before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah
- The earth shook; The heavens also dropped [rain] at the presence of God; Sinai itself [was moved] at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
- You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, When it was weary.
- Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
- The Lord gave the word; Great [was] the company of those who proclaimed [it:]
- “Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home divides the spoil.
- Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, [You will be] like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold.”
THE MESSAGE:
God is good to His people, Israel (the Church today). As Israel faced many enemies in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land and even after they had settled in, in the land, so the church has continued to face enemies from its birth to date. The enemies of the church seek to completely annihilate the church. This is evident in the mindless killings of Christians and destruction of churches in many nations of the world by those who oppose the Gospel. The enemies of the church are the enemies of God and the Psalmist cried out to God in prayer urging Him to arise and scatter His enemies (verse 1). Another serious internal enemy of the church is its lack of unity, fuelled by denominationalism.
The Church must put its acts together and become united to fight its external enemies to gain victory through God. God is a God of justice and rewards everyone according to their works. Therefore, live to please God in praise, love and righteousness. He is merciful and blesses the poor and all who trust in Him (verses 3-13). Today, some Christians pray against their human enemies to “fall and die” and to be roasted by “Holy Ghost fire.” Such Christians must review such kind of prayers in the light of Christ’s teachings (Matthew 5: 38-48).
