MEMORISE
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, Hebrews 12:1
READ: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of
the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I
am weak, then am I strong.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 41 - 43 and PSALM 57
MESSAGE
It is very important that we identify our internal enemies. As a matter
of fact, the internal enemies are more potent and dangerous than the
external enemies. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, identified his
internal enemy and he cried in Romans 7:24 saying: “who shall deliver me
from this body of death?” He located his adversary accurately. If you
have not located your own internal enemy, you need to pray. Paul
discovered his internal adversary and said: “when I want to do good,
evil is present with me.” He knew his flesh was his adversary. Moses had
discovered in Egypt that he had problems with his temper. When he saw
two people fighting, one an Egyptian and the other a Jew, he decided to
intervene, but because of his explosive anger, he killed the Egyptian.
His original plan was not to kill but to defend his fellow brother,
however he went too far. The moment the Adversary discovers your
weakness, he will keep on hitting you at that particular spot. For
example, the enemy will keep on sending amorous ladies or playboys to
you if he discovers your weakness to be sexual immorality.
In
Numbers 11:10-15, we discover that because the devil knew anger was the
prime problem of Moses, he kept on irritating him using the children of
Israel, until Moses called on God to kill him. All the things that Moses
said in that passage were enough to end his career there and then if
God had not been gracious. If you will carefully examine your life, you
will notice straight away what your weakness is; this is your internal
enemy. You need to locate it. In the case of James and John, their
internal enemy was a fiery temper. That is why Jesus called them “The
sons of thunder” in Mark 3:17. They proved it in Luke 9:51-56. The Lord
on His way to Jerusalem sent some people to get Him accommodation in a
village of the Samaritans. The Samaritans said, ‘What do we have to do
with you? You do not associate with us, so you cannot stay in our
village.’ When they brought the report back, James and John turned to
the Lord and said, ‘let us roast them like Elijah did.’ The Lord
replied, ‘No, I have not come to destroy people, I have come to save
them.’ Love of women was the internal enemy of Samson. This enemy was
more powerful than the whole hosts of the Philistines. What the
Philistines could not do to Samson, the love of women did! My prayer for
you is that the Lord will help you to locate your internal enemy and He
will give you the grace to deal with it in Jesus’ Name.
