Thurs.’s Devo - Seven Principalities

Read: Deut. 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Ps. 69:1-18, Pr. 12:1 Ever feel like what you are up against is bigger than you? Today will be a great encouragement. There were seven nations that were bigger and more powerful than the Israelites which were standing between them and their land. Evil nations in the Old Testament stand for principalities in the New. They are the things that stand between us and our promises. But like the Israelites, God has promised to deliver them to us and give us their land. These seven principalities are lying, haughtiness, envy, witchcraft, error, slumber, fear and perversity. All other spirits branch off of these seven. In Luke we read that Mary of Magdalene had seven spirits cast out of her. God told the Israelites that He had set the land before them and they were to fear not, nor be discouraged. God would go before them and fight for them. The time before they had sent out 12 spies and only two of them could see past the giants to behold the bountiful land. These two men were allowed to live and go in while all the other people were killed in the wilderness. God warned them to not remember all the things that God had done for them in the wilderness and all the lessons they had learned. They were warned not to forget God when they came into their inheritance and started living the life of ease. God knew that human nature does just that. It clings to Him in time of need, and tends to forget Him when things are going well. Lord, help us to keep you near to our hearts and minds in the good times and the hard.