“And Joab answered, “May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?” (1 Chronicles 21:3)
We have a real enemy. Satan is not the ambivalent little cartoon he has tricked people into thinking he is. He wants to take you out. (John 10:10) “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He will do whatever he can to derail you in loving and following God. Your adversary, Satan, operates in the darkness of selfishness and pride, and he will try to get you to do the same. When you walk in generosity, kindness or blessing others, you walk in the Spirit.
For reasons we don’t know, David wanted to number the people of Israel. Surely counting people is not the sin, but the motive of David’s census was. We see Joab, David’s friend, warning David against his decision. Had David heeded to his friend’s warnings, many lives would have been spared.
(Proverbs 27:6) “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Are you willing to speak into the life of a friend? Are you willing even when it’s uncomfortable or difficult? Do you love your friends? People who always speak easy-pleasy things to you may not have your best interest in mind. Are you willing to hurt a friendship to prevent a friend from falling into Satan’s trap? Are you willing to allow a friend likewise to speak hard things to you?
“Our real friends will warn us when they think we are doing something wrong.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Lord, I recognize that I am in a real battle and I have messed up. I have opened the door to the plagues in my life and hurt others and myself. Help me to put away all selfishness and pride. Lord, I do not want to live my life blaming others or making excuses for decisions I have made. Lord, forgive me. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for speaking to me and giving me victory through the blood of Your Son, Jesus. I am so grateful that my sin does not have to count me out. Strengthen me with determination to fight in the battle for the souls of others around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries
Scriptural Seeds Ministries 