March 13
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. 2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. 3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. Ps 44:1-5 (KJV)
The prayer of the saint will be honoured by God, don’t be tried of praying. It is your weapon of warfare and your wining is guaranteed. The enemy can bound you in many ways such as your finances, health, body, mind or marriage. God promises to us is that He will defeat your enemies and He will surely lose your bound. Come along with me if He had done it for our saints of old and my father, He will do it for you. How? Ride on to discover more:
“The Lord looseth the prisoners.” Ps. 146:7
He has done it. Remember Joseph, Israel in Egypt, Manasseh, Jeremiah, Peter, and many others. He can do it still. He breaks the bars of brass with a word, and snaps the fetters of iron with a look. He is doing it. In a thousand places troubled ones are coming forth to light and enlargement. Jesus still proclaims the opening of the prison to them that are bound. At this moment doors are flying back and fetters are dropping to the ground.
He will delight to set you free, dear friend, if at this time you are mourning because of sorrow, doubt, and fear. It will be a joy to Jesus to give you liberty. It will give Him as great a pleasure to loose you as it will be a pleasure to you to be loosed. No, you have not to snap the iron band: the Lord Himself will do it. Only trust Him, and He will be your Emancipator. Believe in Him in spite of the stone walls, or the manacles of iron. Satan cannot hold you, sin cannot enchain you, even despair cannot bind you, if you will now believe in the Lord Jesus, and in the freeness of His grace, and the fullness of His power to save.
Defy the enemy, and let the word now before you be your song of deliverance: “Jehovah looseth the prisoners.”
The Lord indeed loose those who are bound in mind, body and soul. My dear friend, are you bound in any form? The Lord will lose Thee; He will set you free as He did for my father who has been sick of late, He took him home gloriously yesterday to be with Him. He will give you peace that one can give you, am sure my dad is at peace now after all the struggle. Let us learn from the children of other kingdom, how tenacious they are in dealings:
“But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock.” 1Samuel 13:20
We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which have been thought too mean for service, must now be employed. Coulter, and axe, and mattock, may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools may deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it is done effectually. Each moment of time, in season or out of season; each fragment of ability, educated or untutored; each opportunity, favourable or unfavourable, must be used, for our foes are many and our force but slender.
Most of our tools want sharpening; we need quickness of perception, tact, energy, promptness, in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord’s work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the conductors of Christian enterprises. We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This day let us note enough to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the heathen, how they compass sea and land to make one proselyte, are they to monopolize all the earnestness?
Mark the heathen devotees, what tortures they endure in the service of their idols! are they alone to exhibit patience and self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how persevering in his endeavours, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all!
The devils are united as one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God, and scarcely ever work with unanimity. O that from Satan’s infernal industry we may learn to go about like good Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless!
Yes, seeking whom we may bless by snatching souls from hell, combing the highway for the weak and feeble ones to bring them back to the folds. To help those who are poor both in mind and pocket with our substances, don’t be afraid, it will not run out (1 Kings 17:16) but you will be blessed of the Lord (Ps 41:1-5; 2 King 4:17).
No matter, what you are going through, the Lord will help you and will comfort you and see you through, as I believed Him to see me and my families through this period of bereavement, so will He deliver you from any form of challenge you are facing now.
Remember us in your Prayers. Also pray that God will make available to us the provisions we will need to pay our last respect to our dear father.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
