United Pentecostal Church Mannheim Short Messages

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CHASE YOUR ENEMIES

Many of us, already as we were still children, have heard the story about how David defeated the giant Goliath through the name of the LORD. However, just like things happen to be, God has more to say to us than that - for the victory against the enemy is not enough by itself.

When the Philistines saw that their strongest man had been beaten by the smallest of the Israelites, they knew that it was the God of the Israelites who had won this victory through David, and they fled out of fear. The reason being that, for many years they had tormented Israel and had plundered here and there, and had killed, and had stolen and taken with them the harvests and everything else that was of any value from their houses.

Now they realized that they had already lost this battle here, even before it had really begun. The only option which was now still left for them to do, was to take off and run for their lives; and that is exactly what they did. When the Israelites saw that God had defeated the giant using David, they were aware that God had also given them the victory over the army of the Philistines. Now it was up to them to just simply go home, and be glad about the fact, that they do not have to fight or pursue the enemy who had robbed and tormented them time and time again. However, they ended up doing the right thing; for they pursued them to their homes where they lived, and they robbed them. They were able to do this because God was with them.

The lesson which we can learn here as Christians is simple. Our Lord is God! It is HE who created heaven and earth by Himself through His WORD. It is HE who took on human form in Bethlehem, for the purpose to bear our sins on the cross one day, so that we would be set free from sin. We received this freedom when we were baptized in water in the name of Jesus and had our sins washed away. (See: Acts 2:38). HE has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote to the Galatians in Gal. 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” The yoke implied to here is sin, however, Christ has set us free from it! This is the reason why HE came. John writes to us in 1.John 3:8: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

The comparison between the victory of David over the giant Goliath and the victory of Jesus over Satan on the cross is not groundless; considering that the greatest enemy of mankind is sin, which will bring him into judgment and at the end into damnation. Therefore, it is necessary that each individual turns to Jesus Christ and is obedient to His gospel, in order to be saved from all this.

Chase your enemies! The meaning of this is: Do not let sin, evil, and disbelief rule over you, but rather you rule over them! As a result, you will have peace and joy, your prayers will be answered; and when the tempter comes, you will have power over him and can give him a rebuff.

How much longer do you still want to be robbed of your victory? Why do you have fears and why do you worry? Is God not above everything? Would HE not help you if you believe in Him? It is definitely not His fault for the way things are. Follow His Word, and HE will give you one victory after the other over all your enemies, just like with David!
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