DO NOT FEAR THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY BECAUSE THE LORD WILL HELP US TO EXPERIENCE LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS
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1. GOD PROTECTS US FROM THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY. HE PROTECTED JOSEPH AND JACOB THROUGH ALL THE TRIALS OF THEIR LIFE.GOD WILL TURN THE EVIL DONE AGAINST US INTO A BLESSING . HE WANTS US TO HAVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE.
" The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. " John 10:10
"Joseph is a fruitful vine,a fruitful vine near a spring,whose branches climb over a wall.With bitterness archers attacked him;they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady,his strong arms stayed limber,because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, " Genesis 49 : 22-24
"Then he blessed Joseph and said,"May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys.May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,and may they increase greatly upon the earth." Genesis 48:15-16
" You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. " Genesis 50:20
2. GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP OTHERS IN NEED. OUR ACTS OF MERCY WILL BUILD A RESERVOIR OF GODS FAVOUR IN OUR LIFE WHICH WILL BRING DIVINE HELP IN OUR TIME OF NEED. LIKE CORNELIUS OUR PRAYERS WILL REACH HEAVEN AS A MEMORIAL TO GOD WHEN THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A DEEP LOVE AND CONCERN FOR OUR FELLOWMEN.
" Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. " Psalm 41:1-3
" He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. " Acts 10:2-4
3. GOD HEARS THE CRY OF THE POOR . HE WILL ARISE TO THEIR RESCUE WHEN THEY CRY TO HIM . HE IS THE REFUGE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY IN TIMES OF DISTRESS.
"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." Psalm 5:12
" For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. " Psalm 22:24
" You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall "Isaiah 25 :4
4.GOD PROMOTES US AFTER EVERY TRIAL THAT WE FACE VICTORIOUSLY. HE WILL BRING US INTO A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE AND HONOUR . HE BLESSED ABRAHAM , DANIEL , SHADRACH , MESHACH AND ABED NEGO ABUNDANTLY AFTER THEY WENT THROUGH SEVERE TRIALS .
" Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. " Psalm 71 :20-21
" For you, O God, tested us;you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. " Psalm 66:10-12
" and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." Genesis 22: 16-18
" Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land:"May you prosper greatly! "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed,his dominion will never end.He rescues and he saves;he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. " Daniel 6:26-28
"Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon." Daniel 3:28-20
5. GOD WANTS US TO MOVE FORWARD . WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGED OVER TRIALS AND DANGERS . WE SHOULD NOT BE BROODING OVER PAST FAILURES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS AND SORROWS. WE SHOULD MOVE BEYOND THE PAST AND GO FORWARD. GOD STILL HAD A HUGE TASK FOR US TO FULFILL.
" while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." ..... The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." I Kings 19 : 4, 7
"The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." I Samuel 16:1
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. " Philippians 3 :12-14
6.GOD’S GRACE IS A GREAT PROTECTION OVER OUR LIVES . IT PROTECTS US FROM EXPERIENCING OVERWHELMING SORROW. OUR FAITH AND HOPE IS IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
"Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow." Philippians 2:27
" Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail. " Lamentations 3:22
7. GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE US UNTIL WE HAVE COMPLETED THE TASK HE HAS FOR US. HE WILL STAND BY US AND SEE US THROUGH TO COMPLETION.
"David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. " I Chronicles 28:20
" being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. " Philippians 1:6
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