Tues.’s Devo - Spiritual Warfare

Read: Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20; Luke 9:28-50; Psalm 73:1-28; Provers 12:10 The Levites got no land allotment for themselves so they lived off the gifts given by the people to the Lord. God specified what they could have of the things given to him. They got the best because they got everyone’s first fruits. *** They were warned not to pick up any of the customs of the people living in the land at the time. Their customs were detestable to the Lord. They dealt in magic and demons where God deals in supernatural miracles and angels. God promised to send them prophets to tell them what his words since they didn’t want God speaking directly to them. They will know he is a real prophet if what he says happens. *** When they come into the land they were to set aside three more cities of refuge. They already had three for the tribes who stayed east of the Jordan. These would be for the innocent who is accused of murder. He may run there and be tried justly. As they take over more land, they were to establish more cities of refuge. *** If someone murders a person outright, he is to be handed over to the avenger of blood (the relative of the man killed) who is to kill him. The people are not to feel sorry for the murderer because he killed an innocent person. All crimes are punishable only if there is more than one witness. *** If someone bears a false witness against another then they must impose on the accuser what he intended for the other person. This is the way you rid the nation of sin. *** We are seeing this happening in our nation. The corrupt politicians have brought so many false accusations against President Trump and now they are coming back around to catch them. They are going to get what they intended for President Trump. We are to rejoice because evil is being rid from our nation. *** When they went out to war to face armies greater and more powerful than them, the priest was to encourage them that God was going with them and would give them victory. Then the officers would ask if anyone had just built a new house and not dedicated it, or planted a vineyard and not harvested the first crop, or just gotten engaged to a woman and not marred her yet. If they answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions they were to go back home and finish what they started. *** To us, this means that we cannot fight demons if we are not trained or experienced in spiritual warfare. We must grow in our spiritual walk first, get baptized, bear some fruit, enjoy our new life with Christ, be filled with the Holy Spirit, then we can engage in spiritual battle. *** Anyone who was fearful or faint-hearted must also go home or his fear would spread to the other warriors. *** After the officers weeded out the troops, they were to appoint the unit commanders from what was left. *** When they approached a town to attack it they were first to offer terms of peace. If they refused the terms, they were to attack and kill all. They could keep the women, children, livestock and other plunder. This only applied to distant towns outside their borders of the land God had given them. To the towns within their borders, they were to completely destroy and kill them so they couldn’t teach them how to worship their gods. *** If the war dragged on, they were not to cut down fruit trees to use for weapons. They could only cut down trees that didn’t bear fruit. *** People are trees (Psalm 1). In wartime, only those who are bearing fruit are protected from destruction. *** In Luke, on the eight day, Jesus took Peter, John and James up on a mountain. As Jesus was praying, he transformed into his glorified body. Moses and Elijah appeared with him and began talking about how Jesus was going to leave this world in Jerusalem. Peter and the others had been asleep and woke up to see all of this. Moses and Elijah were about to leave so Peter wanted to make three shelters for them. A cloud came down and covered all of them and from the cloud, God said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” When the cloud lifted it took Moses and Elijah with it. *** ‘Eight’ is the number of new beginnings. God wanted the disciples to see that this was a new day and Jesus was about to be taken up just like Moses and Elijah was. Jesus was going to defeat death. *** When they came down from the mountain, they were met with a man who was manifesting the power of demons. The disciples couldn’t cast them out but Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Jesus then told his disciples that he was going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. These enemies were the same ones who had attacked the boy. *** Instead of understanding what Jesus was saying, the disciples argued about who was the greatest. Jesus brought a child to them and explained that it was the humble and innocent that will be exalted in his kingdom. Those who honor the least, are honoring God and will be honored by God. *** Lord, help us to manifest your kingdom and your love. May we fight the good fight of righteousness and truth.