DAY 22
Devotional by Anthony Fleming
“And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man…
“And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.”
Judges 3:14-15 & 20-21 ESV
There is a consistent pattern with the people of God in the book of judges. Hearing the word of the Lord and obeying brought the blessing of heaven to their lives, their families and their country. But complacency, apathy and disobedience always brought hardship and eventually led to them becoming enslaved to a king from a foreign land. In this particular record of scripture the people of God were enslaved for eighteen long years. At other times it was 20 years or 40 years of either blessing or bondage. The cycle was predictable. I guarantee when they first compromised they never imagined that it would bring them under the rule of another king for 18 years. Compromise and apathy always seem attractive at first. They lure us in slowly promising us pleasure and comfort. But eventually what we don’t master eventually masters us. What at first seemed so innocent can become an attitude or lifestyle that becomes far harder to kick than we ever thought. The people of God were enslaved to a king that is the symbol of pleasure filled living. He was ruled by pleasure, and he ruled them as he pleased.
Jesus said in Mathew chapter 6 that “you cannot serve both God and mammon.” This teaches us emphatically that what we don’t rule over eventually rules over us. But God is always looking for ways to free us and help us become more like Him. God looks for a vehicle whom He can flow through; and that vehicle He finds is Ehud. Ehud hears the particular strategy for this situation and courageously obeys breaking the power of the enemy and bringing to the people of God a new season of blessing and freedom.
The power of placing yourself in an atmosphere of faith on a regular basis allows your heart to hear the Word of the Lord. Let your faith rise and remember the word of the Lord that “has come” and prepare your heart for “what will come.” Honoring what God has said, and making sure that faith is in our hearts to receive what God will say ensures us that we will not live under what we are to rule over. It ensures us that we won’t live stuck. It ensures us that our current limitations do not have to be the ceiling of our lives. Come expectant every day for God to speak to you. Come expectant to your local church each weekend. Come expectant to Wave Conference as thousands of God’s people will gather to allow your life, your thinking, your spirit to be refreshed and ready to receive the Word of the Lord for a new season of victory.
PRAYER
Father, in the name of Jesus I come boldly asking to hear from You. Remind me of what I need reminding of. Help me to see clearer than I’ve ever seen before. Anoint me to hear from heaven for my own life and the God given assignment You have for me. Give me courage to do what You are asking of me. May I unlock others in their destiny in Jesus name!