PEOPLE OF PROMISE
Are you a person of God? Do you believe in His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ? Have you accepted God’s gift of redemption through Jesus Christ? Then you are ‘the people of God’.
Reflect on Nehemiah’s attitude when received the sad news of the state of Jerusalem. He made an immediate decisive action to do something about it. Despite his broken spirit and tears he went to God in prayer! This showed his great concern for Jerusalem. He clearly saw himself as a part of Jerusalem and Jerusalem as a part of him. He could have had a selfish approach to the matter, after all he was in a good place where things were working, yet he did not. Of utmost importance is Nehemiah’s prayer – he prayed for repentance from all sin for all of Jerusalem and he reminded God His promises of deliverance of His people!
Nehemiah’s response to sad news is a challenge for us, even today. When you receive bad news how do you respond? Do you respond in fear and terror? When you receive reports that do not match with God’s word, how do you react? Do you go to God in prayer and remind Him of His word over the issue? Do you know His word?
Nehemiah knew God’s word and could therefore present it to God in remembrance. When we receive bad reports, the first thing to do is relay these reports to God.
What has been spoken concerning you and your nation? Is it bad reports all around? Have you told God about them? What do you believe?
Remember, we operate from the place of victory through Christ and should not be afraid. We cannot believe anything that God has not spoken.
Prayer Focus
Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to always remember that we are Your people and that You have given us victory. Help me to be rest assured in Your awesome love. To never fret, no matter what kind of bad news I hear. Please reveal more clearly to me the extent of the victory over evil that You have given to me through Christ, in Jesus name, Amen.
Written by Maxwell Okoedion of @thelafamily