Faint, Yet Pursuing - No. 137

Genesis 14:14-16, “When Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house… and pursued them unto Dan… and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah… And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”

Abram must have been distraught when he heard that Lot was taken captive. But he didn’t wallow in despair. Instead, he went into action.  He got his household army together and pursued the enemy. They didn’t give up until they smote them and recovered everyone and every thing.

Satan is our enemy who comes to rob, kill and destroy. He is constantly out to rob us and sometimes he is successful. When this happens, what do you do? It is easy to throw up your hands in despair. But don’t let him win the victory. Go after him. Don’t leave a stone unturned until you smite him and recover what you have lost!

Perhaps someone’s marriage is breaking up in one of your family members. You want to cry. But do more than that. Ask God what you should do. I have a friend whose brother started having an affair with another woman. My friend was mad with the enemy who was seeking to destroy another marriage. She prayed of course. She got us all to pray. But she also pursued the enemy. She took time out, and with her mother, drove many hours to his city in an old “bomb” of a car, arriving in the evening. The next day she helped him to chop and stack wood and later that night she approached him. He told her to butt out and mind her own business otherwise he would never speak to her again.

“If that’s the price I have to pay,” replied my friend, “I will pay it. You brought your wife home for us to love and we have loved her. If you choose to leave her, we will support her and continue to love her. This affair is not love, but lust!”

Her words fell on deaf ears. She kept praying. A week later, his boss also talked to him and he came back to his wife. Her trip was worth it. Another defeat for the enemy who hates marriages!

A similar situation happened to David which you can read about in 1 Samuel 30. David came back from fighting to find his city of Ziklag burned to the ground. All the women and children were taken including David’s two wives. David was greatly distressed. He and his men wept until they could weep no more. In fact, his men were so bitter they wanted to stone David.

But once again, David didn’t stay in despair! He encouraged himself in the Lord His God. When he took his eyes off the terrible situation and looked to God, God was able to show him what to do. You can’t hear from God when you are in the pit of sorrow. All you see and hear is desperation. But when you look to the Lord, He will give you strategy. He will show you a plan of attack against the enemy, just as he showed David.

Verse 9 – 17 tells us, “So David went … David pursued, he and four hundred men…And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.” It took more than one blow to defeat their enemy. They slaughtered them throughout the whole night and all the next day. They didn’t give up until they recovered what they lost.

We read the victory in verses 18-19, “And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.” Abram also recovered all in his pursuit against the enemy.

I think it is time to recover back what the enemy is stealing from God’s people today. He is robbing marriages. He is robbing families. He is robbing parents of children. He is even robbing God of the godly seed that He wants to come forth to fulfill His purposes. There are many today, who sterilize their bodies to stop having God’s children. They do it in ignorance, of course.  Isn’t that what everyone does? Sadly, they don’t realize that it is the enemy robbing them of life – a life that will live forever. They are unaware that they are being robbed of establishing godly dynasties. When we stop a life from coming into the world, it is not just one life, it is a whole dynasty!

We should not allow the enemy to steal any longer. If a couple have sterilized, don’t you think it would be a good idea to pursue a reversal? Oh yes, there will be many obstacles and financial challenges. But while we do nothing, the devil laughs and holds up the flag of victory. It’s time we pursued him until once again we hold the victory flag.

Has the enemy taken one of your children captive? Perhaps your situation is so sorrowful that you are still weeping. Of course you will weep. But don’t weep forever. Encourage yourself in the Lord. Let Him show you what to do. And go after the enemy until you recover all. Even when you feel weak and helpless, keep on. Gideon was exhausted from chasing the enemy, but he kept on “faint, yet pursuing.” (Judges 8:4)

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh Lord, please help me to be on watch against the enemy who comes to rob, kill and destroy. When he does rob me, give me strength to go on the attack and pursue the enemy. I thank you that Christ in me is greater than the devil without. Amen.”

 

AFFIRMATION: