By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
MONDAY
THEME: DELIVERANCE IN THE OFFING”
SCRIPTURE: Psalms 129:4
“The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.”
REFLECTIONS:
God hates sin. He loves the sinner. In Christ, there is abundant hope for the sinner. The Holy Spirit never ceases to draw the sinner’s attention to the urgent need for a change of heart for salvation. Thank God, in the plan of salvation, though the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work in concert, the Holy Spirit assumes the role of teaching and changing lives. He is responsible for convicting the sinner of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come (John 16:8). Thus, even the avowed wicked person is given an opportunity to convert to Christ. But as long as sin exists, wickedness will persist. The good news is that the upright will have victory over the wicked according to the promise of God.
Psalms 129 best prepares the minds of all believers who have been hated and pursued by the wicked one and his cohorts that the tables will eventually turn in their favor. Victory for the godly is in the offing. In the new year, you need assurance from the Lord. It is a psalm that expresses genuine joy over the enemy’s defeat. Though the title is a “Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies,” the psalmist rejoices over being freed from his oppressors. It does not matter how severely or inhumanely you have been tested and afflicted by your enemies or how long your family has suffered under the wicked; God will deliver you. There is victory in the LORD.
God’s deliverance and victory for His people are indisputable. Verses 1-4 announce deliverance from oppression: [1]“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”… . Yet they have not prevailed against me. [3]The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.” [4]The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.” Despite the intensity of their oppressive behavior and actions – plowing (plotting wickedness) and furrowing (making painful incisions), God rescued His people from the affliction. Everyone who depends on God should be assured that the testing, suffering, oppression, and affliction will come, but it will not endure forever – the Lord will rescue you. The psalm demonstrates a time of suffering and a glorious time of deliverance by Jesus Christ.
Verses 5-8 indicate that if the wicked oppressor does not cease, curses will apply as God pronounced in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. The psalmist entreats God in light of his affliction, saying that the wicked do not have the strength and room to maneuver and cause pain and suffering. The wicked one is reported to God for His action. This year, the Lord will rescue you from whatever has become your bane and a “thorn in your flesh.” Only believe, trust, persevere, and wait patiently for God’s rescue operation to be launched. Beloved, remember and be assured that deliverance will happen through prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Your deliverance and victory in Christ are in the offing. Take life a day at a time.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
“One Day At a Time” – Lynda Randle
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His leading in your life; thank God for victories through His power; pray to wait on Him to defend and rescue you;
– Pray for people under oppressive regimes and those who are afflicted because of their commitment to God by their own families, friends, peers, community, etc.;
– Pray for people you know to have been under spiritual, physical, and mental attacks; pray for the conversion of the wicked;
– Pray for peace and development in our nation, job opportunities for the teeming youth, the practice of the fear of God in families, divine healing for the sick, and comfort for the bereaved.
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