Tuesday 1 October 2013

Pitch In your tents at Beer-sheba .


" And he went up from thence to Beersheba.
 And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well ". Genesis 26:23 -25.

After receiving  our desire for victory  and peace within our borders, what next?
Do we  relax , beat our chests and  regale our listeners with stories of our past and ancient battles and victories;  and go our merry way until the next call to  battle? 
God's ability  to arise  and deliver His people is  not in question. 
Even God's enemies know the awesomeness of the name and the power of God and they tremble . James  2: 19 .
But the wicked will not relent  in their wickedness because the Satanic force using  them  goads the wicked further  and further along the path of destruction ;  to make  them to dare God by doing  evil continually .
In the day of battle, God is on the side of the righteous and He is against the wicked .
"Salvation is far from the wicked; for they seek not your statutes". Psalm 119:155. 

When we have attained our Rehoboth , the  next step is  to move up to  Beer-sheba " the  Well of the Oath" ; the place of  remembrance , of refreshing  and renewal and  of worship and sacrifice. Genesis 21:33.
We remain victorious  by building our altar  and by pitching our tents  in the place of  proximity  to God , as Isaac did  in Beer-sheba , 
Beer-sheba is   the place of God's visitation  and affirmation of  covenants. Genesis 26 : 24, 32- 33
" Pitching  tents  at Beer-sheba " is the basis of  continuous victory  for the righteous , who by faith have believed in the covenant of  God's mercy  and salvation  through Jesus Christ .
 No Christ , no  salvation and no victory for the Christ-less life.
 God's intervention manifests in all situations whenever  and wherever  His people , the righteous , are under attack by the enemy.
What is the condition  for resounding  victory  over the fury of the oppressor in the day of battle?
"For everyone born of God overcomes the world . This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.   Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God ". 1 John 5:4- 5 .
  God  will always  arise  and intervene on behalf of those who abide in Him in  the place of obedience and sacrifice. John 15: 4 - 8 . 
Are you abiding in Christ or do you choose to forget God and His word , but  suddenly, when you are under fire  from your enemies , you remember  God ?!  Then  and only then , you run to God,  crying  out to Him  for  help ?
 It is one thing  to expect God  to "arise and let his enemies be scattered  ! "( Psalm 68:1);
 it is  very easy to quote scriptures  profusely, to pray very loud prayers  and sing earth-quaking songs of praise of how  " the earth trembles for the Lord reigns !" , "O Lord come down and manifest your power!" . 
Yes , the Lord reigns , let the earth tremble and let His enemies flee before His awesome presence! 
But are your  own challenges and your challengers "trembling " and budging an inch ?
 It is very easy  to remind God of how He delivered  Daniel from the lions' den;  easy  to say you "  are putting  God in remembrance of   His word and promises  concerning the richness of His mercy and  of His mighty deliverance for His people  "; but  it is another thing entirely  to  be  on the Lord's side  , to be daily  in His presence.
The proper way   to  qualify  for God's mercy  and deliverance is  to be on the Lord's side PRIOR  to  the day  of battle , that is BEFORE  you sense impending annihilation by the enemy .
Daniel was steadfastly on the Lord's side , even in the face of death.  Daniel  6:3-13.
Are you on the Lord's side ?
Have you come to God with soiled and smelly hands , but you are  expecting His mercy  and justice  to deliver you , because you say , " We are now in the dispensation of  GRACE ! God is merciful and gracious. God understands!" 
  Really ?  Does God " understand " the  unrepentant  sinner  ? 
"When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?" Isaiah 1:12. 
" And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood " . Isaiah 1: 15..
Jesus said  deliverance is  received  by abiding in His word . John  15: 6- 8 .
Are you on the Lord's side or  are you , yourself  towing  the path of the wicked ;   far gone , in the same hell-bound  express train with  the wicked ?  Psalm 9 : 16,17   
 If yes, then  unless you repent , today , now ; your reward  shall  be the same as the reward of the wicked .
"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord" . Jeremiah 8:12.

Defeat and a casting down in the day of battle  is not  the portion of the righteous.
".... Men and brethren what shall we do ? " Acts 2:37-40.
When your ways  and your mind are pleasing unto God because you are on God's side , you are on  the winning side ;  therefore you have overcome  your enemies, both the physical and spiritual ones . 
Be on the winning side, always  . Repent and believe in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For a life of continuous victory , move up  to Beer-sheba ; the place of proximity  to God . 
Build and repair  your altar  there  and pitch your tent there in God's presence, always 
As you confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour , in your words and by your deeds  you have  been  saved and you will  never  be put to shame. Romans 10 : 8-11.
Amen.

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