“And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them…” (Ezekiel 28:26).
TEXT — Ezekiel 28:20-26
Message
Between 1930s and 1940s, Gladys Aylward, a British missionary served in China. During the Japanese invasion of China, Gladys led over 100 orphans on a perilous journey across mountains to safety. Despite her own injuries and the threat of capture, her unwavering faith in God and courage, and divine intervention saw them through, illustrating how divine protection can prevail in the face of overwhelming danger. God has remained in the business of protecting and defending His people who put their faith and confidence in Him.
Nearly 3000 years ago, the land of Israel was under ceaseless attacks by its hostile neighbours and at this point in the hands of some marauders called Zidonians. Ezekiel, the prophet prophesied that God would fight for His people and judge Zidon, a city in Phoenicia, because of her sin of pride, idolatry, and wickedness against Israel. They denied the Jewish nation safety and a close walk with God.
In our contemporary period, believers now fight invisible battles. The enemies of our soul, the devil, and his messengers, are throwing fiery darts at the church and the people of God to weaken them, erode their convictions and faith, and frustrate the plans of God for them.
As the Lord promised Israel victory in the days of Ezekiel, so believers stand a greater chance to triumph over all adversaries. It is a covenant He extends to all saved souls and those who will come through repentance and faith in the atoning work of Christ. We are not to be discouraged by the antics of the devil and his cohorts. God will empower us to triumph over all enemies of the cross as long as we submit to the lordship of our Saviour and Master, and we deploy the invincible weapons of our warfare in the battles of life.
Thought for the day
Familiar voices at the throne of grace need not cry loud and long before divine intervention.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
