WEDNESDAY- 2ND AUGUST, 2023
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
Happy Risen & Upright Month!
INTERCESSION AND INTERCEPTION
I Samuel 17:34-35, KJV
"34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him".
Jesus said, Satan has asked for Peter that he may sift him and that his faith may fail (Lk 22:31-32). When someone's faith fails, he stumbles and possibly depart from the faith. If you ever meet such people and seek their restoration, they'll tell you they're now in their reality. They'll say they'd been shackled before but now they see. My brethren, when than any other time are they shackled if not now? But this is the outworking of Satan in their lives that they may remain bound and deceived.
We may want to probe why Satan desires to have Peter of all the disciples. The truth is that if you'll deal the devil a great blow or you're critical to God's programme, it is you and such Satan seeks to take out first of all. Satan also has learnt one principle. "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter". That's why he's gunning for Peter. If he takes Peter out, leaderlessness might easily result amidst Christ's disciples. No wonder, Jesus Himself told Peter to strengthen his brethren (others) when he's converted (Lk 22:32). It means one thing. Peter is a leader and an influencer of other disciples.
Jesus intercepted that act by interceding for Peter. It was Jesus' prayer that saved him. My prayer is that when the act of sifting begins in your life, someone somewhere, some people somewhere, a prayer somewhere and an aid from even an unknown place shall work for you. May people receive burdens concerning you. Such is the life of a shepherd and his care over his sheep. David told Saul a mystery that explains intercession and interception in today's passage.
What does David do when a lion and a bear come picking one of his sheep? He goes after them and delivers the lamb from its mouth and if they rise against him (not wanting to accept defeat that easily), he smotes them.
The lion and the bear are symbolic of Satan and his cohort. When they come picking a lamb (a brother or sister), therefore causing his separation from the flock, may God raise an intercessor somewhere whose prayer can restore you to the fold - wake you up to your senses and stop you from regarding the house of death as life. May you find somebody to call, visit and call you to remembrance of all you've heard and taught yourself.
The Bible records, "is this not a brand snatched out of the fire?"
Zechariah 3:2, KJV
"And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?"
When there are multitude of firewoods and you take one out of those burning brands out of the fire, the one you take out easily dies. What Satan seeks to do is to separate Christians from fellowship with Christ, the brethren and every holy and anointed thing that could set a man on fire. He wants them to become a brand snatched out of fire so they could be easily handled by him. But I declare over you that you shall not be successfully plucked out of the communion of Christ. There may be request, desire and agitation in the spirit to have you but you shall resist Satan firm in your faith. And if your faith be weak, the Lord's intercession shall not fail over you. You shall also see Satan for who he is and resist him for who he is. So shall it be. Today, you're receiving intercessors. Those who will keep over your vineyard with jealousy and care. I received a lot of intercessors while doing campus ministry. Sister Bukola Oluwase and Sister Eunice Olabode were my two sisters' coordinators when I served as the fellowship president on campus. I heard and knew a great deal on how they interceeded for my campus ministry and how they encouraged other sisters executives to do same. I could remember hearing Sister Eunice say, "you know Bro. Sola is now the Christian Union (overall body of all Christians on campus) President, it means more loads. It also means he needs more intercession". Over the years, intercession of others are great parts of what make us yield our bounty and be saved from disgraces and every temptation of the devil. That's why I'm praying that you won't go empty handed but rather receive intercessors - those whose prayers will be precious in the sight of heaven and to shut the lion's mouth or force the gates of heaven open. To all my intercessors then and now, I say, "thank you. May the Lord bless you". Be assured that you have a share in my ministry. That's how God sees it and that's how I see it. You have by testimony and your contribution obtained a part and lot in anything I become or what our ministry is. Oooh, may the Lord bless you for being a contributing shareholder.
PRAYER: Lord, let your intercession over me stops the lion's mouth. Raise me intercessors as I stand to interceed for others.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13; Romans 15:23-16:9; Psalm 25:16-22; Proverbs 20:16-18
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