|
|
|
|
A People Plundered - Part 1 of 3 (Amplified Bible—unless otherwise specified) Within the past two months I have had a series of three dreams about being robbed. In the first, someone attempting to steal my car key grabbed an imitation key instead. Aware that I held the original, I determined to prevent it from being taken from me. In the second dream, someone was attempting to steal my unguarded purse, inside of which were my car keys and my papers of identification. In this dream, I awakened screaming, “Robbery!” In the third dream, my purse had been stolen, and after removing from it my keys and identification, the robber had thrown it back at me--inside out and empty. Meditating on the interpretation of these dreams, I realized the Lord’s emphasis on guarding two of our most important spiritual possessions: our IDENTITY in Christ and the Kingdom KEYS with which He has empowered and entrusted us. To be robbed of these is to be left without purpose, potential or power. Some robberies occur because of intentional plots by the enemy. “In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime…”{Job 24:16 KJV}. Others occur as a result of our own carelessness in failing to guard that which is most precious. From within my spirit I kept hearing the phrase, “a people plundered.” “But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and hidden in homes of bondage; they have become a prey with no one to deliver them, a spoil, with no one to say, “Restore them!” {Isa 42:22}. “Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks…” {Job 24:2}. As a part of God’s end-time move, we must secure against being robbed of our own identity and keys even as we rescue those who are. Such was the case with Abram when his nephew Lot was kidnapped. “[The victors] took all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the supply of provisions, and departed. And they also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, away with them” {Gen 14:11-12}. Abram refused to let him remain in the hands of the enemy. “When Abram heard that [his nephew] had been captured, he armed [led forth] his 318 trained servants, born in his house, and pursed the enemy….He divided his forces against them by night…attached and routed them, and pursued them…And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, the women also and the people” {Gen 14: 14-16}. Robbery and plunder occur when adequate protection is either not available or is incorrectly implemented. While David and his men were engaged in warfare, the Amalekites raided Ziglag and took captive “the women and all who were there, both great and small.” {I Sam 30:1a}. Misdirecting their grief and rage against their leader, David’s men threatened to stone him. Refusing to become distracted with the temporary threat from within his own ranks, David inquired of the Lord whether or not to pursue the enemy. In answer, God gave David a promise: “The Lord answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all” {v 8}. Twice scripture notes that indeed David did recover all. “David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, small or great, sons or daughters, spoil, or anything that had been taken: David recovered all” {vs 18-19}. Both individually and corporately the Lord encourages us to hold fast lest we, too, be robbed and plundered. “Only hold fast to what you have until I come” {Rev 2:25}. “And to the angel (the messenger) of the assembly (the church) in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He Who has the Key of David, Who opens and no one shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open…See! I have set before you a door wide open, which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message, and have not renounced or denied My name…you have guarded and kept my word of patient endurance – have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you…I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown” {Rev 3:7-11}. -Ruth French October Newsletter 2003 | Cleansing Ourselves | Things | 20/20 Faith Pastor's Journal October 2002 | Thankfulness part 2 of 2 | A People Plundered part 1 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
|
|
Copyright © 1995-2007 Living Word Christian
Fellowship, Inc.
|
