Tag: #Ephesians6:14

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God Our Avenger – Part 2

I love how King David celebrated what surely felt like final victory over all his enemies, including Saul. David sang unto our Lord in 2 Samuel 22:48 NIV, acknowledging that God was the One who avenged him, who put the nations under him.

David must have felt a tremendous relief as God brought completion to this stage of his kingship process, because David, who feared God, was now proven obedient (Ps 34:7).

Herein lies a secret of God’s vindication.

When we follow God to complete obedience, He releases His vindication on our behalf as well as His vengeance on our enemies.

In other words, we need to obediently follow God into 2 Corinthians 10:6 AMPC, which says, “Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.”

Friends, God has no problem releasing vindication and punishment simultaneously to individuals and nations (De 32:43 AMPC, 1 Pe 2:14 AMPC).

Hebrews 10:30 AMPC says, “For we know Him Who said, Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the meting out of full justice rest with Me]; I will repay [I will exact the compensation], says the Lord. And again, The Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people. [Deut. 32:35, 36.].”

We must never forget that God is a God of complete justice and that He “reserves wrath for His enemies” (Na 1:2 AMPC).

God even wears garments of vengeance.

Isaiah 59:17 AMPC says, “For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak. [Eph. 6:14, 17; I Thess. 5:8.].”

God can use a sword of vengeance to make His point to those disobedient to His Word of authority (Le 26:25 AMPC, Ro 13:1-5). 

And this is not just Old Testament.

Romans 13:4 AMPC reminds us, “For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer.”

Friends, God does not mess around. He has destinies to fulfill in our lives. And He has ways of getting His point across, even to His people.

Hebrews 2:3 AMPC asks us, “How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].”

This “great salvation” here is described in 2 Corinthians 5:21 TPT which says, “For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8 AMPC confirms that God will “…deal out retribution (chastisement and vengeance) upon those who do not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and [upon those] who ignore and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, friends, we want to be on the side of righteous behavior. As such, not following Jesus is not an option. We are to know God’s truth, know our identity in Him and faithfully act on His precepts and strategies.

We don’t have to worry about the opposition along the way, because God assures us that He will release vengeance on our opposition, even in our promised land, as we courageously obey Him, like Joshua and Caleb (Jo 10:13 AMPC)!

It’s when we act in opposition to God’s ways and stop following Him out of cowardice, or for any other reason, that we should be concerned (Jo 22:23 AMPC).

If you follow Jesus and maintain a fear of God, you will see God’s justice and abundance of promise fulfilled (Pr 9:10 TPT, Ps 94:1 TPT). Like David and Joseph, God will make you known, and you will have your say when God brings completion to your kingship process (2 Sa 22, Ge 45).  

So, friends, let’s be encouraged by and trust in God’s truth of Word and Spirit.

Vengeance is actually a time of God restoring order, of “rendering full justice or satisfaction” (Lk 21:22 AMPC, Is 26:9). As such, this is cause for the vindicated to rejoice.

Revelation 18:20 AMPC instructs us to, “Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! [Isa. 44:23; Jer. 51:48.].”

So, don’t give up, friends. Keep moving forward in your divine assignments. Just as God can send His avenging angel to His enemies, He can send an army of angels to help vindicate you, like King David (1 Ch 12:22).

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your righteous justice. You tell me in 1 Chronicles 12:22 AMPC that “day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.” You instruct me, Lord, in Proverbs 12:22 TPT to “Live in the truth and keep” my “promises, and” You “will keep delighting in” me. You say that You detest “a liar.” 

So, Lord, I thank You that You are no respecter of persons and that You say those who fear you lack nothing (Ps 34:9). I ask You to help me keep my promises to You by sending me a great army to help me run my race and complete Your assignments in my life. Strengthen me, Spirit of Grace, to be unwavering and faithful as You are faithful (Ps 26:1). 

Thank You for freeing me from the burden of vengeance and for bringing completion to this kingship process in my life as You have established me to live out divine rulership with You. “…O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth” (Ps 94:1 AMPC)!

Pour out Your Spirit on the earth today as revelation-light to pierce the conscience of the wicked as we worship You (Ps 94:1 TPT, Pr 9:10 TPT). Thank You for sending Your Son to be pierced for our transgressions (Is 53:5).

Thank You, Lord, for vindicating “me by Your mighty strength and power” (Ps 54:1).

In Jesus’ Name.

Amen

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Jesus The Victorious: Our Certain Win

What’s your idea of victory? Achieving all your goals in life? Beating your competitor? Or just trying to cross the finish line the best you can?

Friends, God has higher for you than any of this.

And higher begins with Him alone.

Psalm 24:10 TPT asks us, “…’Who is this King of Glory?’ He is the Lord of Victory, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts! Yes, he is the King of Glory!”

In two cases of persecution, Jesus identifies Himself as “Jesus the Victorious” (Acts 9:5, 22:8, Mk 1:24 TPT).

In these two particular situations, Jesus’ persecutors were a man in the synagogue possessed by an unclean spirit (Mk 1:24), and Saul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:5, Acts 22:8).

Notice here, that even in, and especially in the face of persecution, Jesus remains in His identity and authority over all.

After identifying Himself to these persecutors, Jesus swiftly delivered them from that which afflicted Him and held them back.

Jesus made them victorious over darkness.

He truly liberated them.

Lives changed.

Jesus set each of them free on a new path for His higher purposes beyond themselves.

By His Spirit, they became more like Him.

And many witnessed this.

Friends, God loves to give us victory (Ps 44:3, 149:4).

And we are desperate to identify with His Victorious Name.

Like Jesus, we can authoritatively wage war against persecution with His powerful Name. We can be certain to overcome evil from a position of victory that Christ won for us on the cross.

Just believe, and act accordingly.

This inheritance, through the grace of Jesus, is appropriated by His indwelling persuasiveness, which is His imparted faith to us.

1 John 5:4 TPT explains, “You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.”

But do we, like Jesus, always choose to apply our victory-power of faith, in the face of persecution? Or do we tolerate unnecessary affliction outside of God’s will? Do we suffer needlessly? Do we make it better or worse for ourselves and others?

Obedience to God is a factor—both in the amount of victory we receive, as well as in the timing thereof.

Abiding with The Lord and trusting Him as the Spirit of Wisdom is crucial in victorious decision-making.

Proverbs 4:9 TPT says, “You will be adorned with beauty and grace, and wisdom’s glory will wrap itself around you, making you victorious in the race.”

Psalm 118:13 TPT declares, “…I was ready to fall, but you helped me to triumph, and together we overcame them all.”

So we see here that victory is a joint effort that requires our participation.

2 Corinthians 2:14 TPT reveals, “God always makes his grace visible in Christ, who includes us as partners of his endless triumph. Through our yielded lives he spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go.”

God’s prevailing Presence stands in victory over all, as He shares His love with us (Songs 7:7).

Therefore, even though we participate, our final Authority and Ruler over all, who is God, ultimately determines our level of increase (victory) (Ps 11:14).

Proverbs 21:31 TPT tells us, “You can do your best to prepare for the battle, but ultimate victory comes from the Lord God.”

God watches over us and sees the motives and actions of every heart.

He does everything He can, by His faithfulness, to sustain victory in our lives: God brings His salvation. He defends us and preserves us. He leads us into all truth. He protects our minds and hearts with the armor of truth and holiness. And He wraps His glory-presence, which is victory, around us as a protective shield (Eph 6:14; Ps 7:10; 18:35, 43).

Sometimes, we have to “push through” to victory by God’s Victorious Name, His Glorious Presence and awesome power to “defeat every enemy” (Ps 44:5).

Even during seasons of (long-suffering) endurance, God has purposed us to be victorious: to make us stronger in Him for His Kingdom purposes (Ps 55:22).

God, Himself, is enduring of life and time. He is everlasting. He offers Himself to us as the highest-ranking Source of perpetual strength. He is always with us and constantly intercedes for us. Even when our best prayer is a humble whisper, He rescues us from trouble.

Matthew 12:20 TPT assures us, “He won’t brush aside the bruised and broken. He will be gentle with the weak and feeble, until his victory releases justice.”

I love what Isaiah 35:4 TPT says, “…’Be strong and never afraid. Look, here comes your God! He is breaking through to give you victory! He comes to avenge your enemies. With divine retribution he comes to save you!’”

God’s desire is to bring us out better than before, to saturate us with His goodness (Ps 66:12).

Psalm 92:10 TPT affirms this by saying, “Your anointing has made me strong and mighty. You’ve empowered my life for triumph by pouring fresh oil over me.”

Song of Songs 6:10 TPT assures us by saying, “Look at you now— arising as the dayspring of the dawn, fair as the shining moon. Bright and brilliant as the sun in all its strength. Astonishing to behold as a majestic army waving banners of victory.”

Even death cannot conquer a believer in Christ (1 Cor 15:54-55). One way or another, death can only cause God’s lovers to rise higher in Him, as true life is restored.

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your divine gift of victory and for bringing me victorious salvation through Your finished work at the cross. Thank You that Your victory releases justice on my behalf (Matt 12:20). I repent of operating in any and all doubt, hopelessness, and injustice that leads to defeat. I renounce every spirit of defeat and lies that the enemy has tried to bring. I command depression and oppression to depart from me now, in Jesus’ Mighty Name of Victory. And I call forth, the Spirit of the Living God to rise up in me to bring new life and fresh victorious hope (Heb 3:6). I declare that I am set free, truly liberated, and positioned in great freedom and abundance. I am victorious because of You. Thank You for growing me in victory (Ps 92:12). Thank you for protecting me and guiding me in victory. Thank You for helping me reign victorious going forward. Thank You, Lord, for Your love for me and for making me “more than a conqueror” over “every form of evil as a victorious soldier of Jesus, the Anointed One” (Ro 8:37, 2 Tim 2:3). My heart is Yours, Lord. With You, I know we can do this…victoriously. Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.