TOPIC: THE GREATEST ENEMY OF MAN
MEMORISE:
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” – (1 Corinthians 9:27)
READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV)
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
MESSAGE:
Your biggest enemy is not the devil, neither is it your mother-in-law, witches or wizards. As a child of God, you know very well that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). The Bible made it clear that you are more than conquerors through Him that loved you (Romans 8:37).
Your number one enemy is yourself. The one who is truly victorious is the one who has conquered himself. When you live according to the dictates of your flesh, you give it permission to destroy you and it is good at doing that.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
Samson took down an entire city single-handedly but could not conquer himself. He was so powerful that cities feared him, but in the lap of a woman, he was the weakest of men. Even a little child knows better than to touch a piece of hot iron that had burned him or her before. In Samson’s case however, he told Delilah a lie about the source of his power and awoke to find that she had used the information against him, yet he did not stay away. To make matters worse, he told her the truth at last and ended up grinding corn for the same enemy that used to fear him (Judges 16:6-21). You may say Samson was a fool, but what about you? Have you been staying away from those sins that easily beset you?
When a child of God is really fervent, the devil starts searching out his weakness. The moment he finds it, he will try to use it as a weapon for that child of God to destroy himself or herself. That is why you must destroy that weakness before the devil uses it against you. Proverb 25:28 says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls”. Control yourself so that you would be victorious against the attacks of the devil.
REFLECTION:
Have you conquered yourself?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 SAMUEL 14-16
AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 23 - TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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