DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY
Daily Manna devotional by Pastor Kumuyi of the Deeper Christain Life Ministry for today is here. Digest the word of the lord and pray believing
TOPIC OF DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR THURSDAY 20th JUNE IS “THE ENEMY’S STRATEGY”
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 10:16-33
16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.17. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.19. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.24. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?26. Fear them not therefore; for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.27. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
KEY VERSE: Matthew 10:28
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY
In 2005, a scholarly article outlined five strategies terror groups employ for a successful terror crusade. One and the most common strategy is ‘spreading fear for international effects’.
Why do you hear of suicide bombing and other heart-shattering gruesome killings by terrorists? It is to create the waves of fear, to weaken the resolve of civil people and to make the war against terror a hard-to-win affair.
Preparing the mind of His sheep against marauding wolves, the Lord Jesus gave a glimpse of what to expect from persecutors in the last days. Persecutors will stop at nothing to threaten, beat, kill and maim those who believe in Christ for their faith.
Some of these persecutions may even be hosted by family members or close kin; just as a surprise attack! But the Lord gave us an idea of what the most potent weapon of the enemy is, that is fear! The very aim of persecutors is to entrench fear into the heart of those suffering persecution and those who likely will.
When Stephen, the first martyr of the early church was stoned to death by the religious Jews in Acts Chapter 7, the news sent ripples of fear to practicing and would-be Christians.
The persecutors were invariably sending a deterrent message to those who believed in Jesus and those who would want to. Thank God for the resolute commitment of early believers, who though persecuted for their faith, endured to the end and now serve as encouragement to every Christian in every generation.
The persecution of believers in Christ Jesus is on the increase in many places today. We are to pray for those persecuted and provide needed succor where possible. When persecuted, we are to remember that Christ our Master has both tasted and suffered persecution.
Thus, reacting the way He did will help us overcome. There might be need to escape a deadly attack from the enemy in order to preserve the truth. But no believer should ever renounce his faith because of the fear of the enemy.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The sting of terror is temporary, but God’s judgment is eternal.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1-2
DAILY MANNA devotional shared via www.thedevotionals.com.ng
