DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: JULY 5
LESSONS FROM PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON (5) SCRIPTURE: Luke 15: 15 – 16; Genesis: 25: 29 – 32
We read about how sensuality and spiritual destitution contributed to the prodigal son’s loss of destiny in yesterday’s devotional. We were told that whoever allows self to be overwhelmed by sensuality can hardly get to the end of the glorious life God set aside for him/her. Also, that Spiritual destitution really separates one from the Holy Spirit of God who directs all believers into profitable ventures which builds up destiny (fortune) in human beings. We must allow ourselves to be self- disciplined and spiritually sensitive in life. We will be moving to another thing the prodigal son allowed to delay the fulfillment of his destiny. In today’s devotional, we will be looking at how giving chance to self-abasement and starvation delayed the destiny of the prodigal son.
He gave in to Self-abasement:
Self-abasement implies self-rejection. Many people have lost their destiny in life by reducing themselves completely in life through devaluing their identities or self-esteem. The prodigal son gave in to self-abasement when he accepted to work in pig farm. Imagine one who used to be served by the father’s servants and had his personal servants attached to him, now agreed to take up the most shameful employment reserved for slaves. Employment of attending to pigs! The Bible said: – “He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his field to feed the pigs” (Luke 15: 15 New Living Translation Bible). Once one allows self-rejection sets in, self-abasement takes over and compromising becomes one’s Commander-In-Chief of life affairs.
He was motivated by starvation:
The prodigal son lost the sense of personal value as a son of a wealthy man and began to desire eating the foods supplied to the pigs; yet nobody gave it to him (Luke 15: 16). This is what usually happens to anyone motivated by starvation. Yielding to extreme influence of hunger, either for foods, money, material or anything has pushed some people beyond doing things rationally. Esau lost his birthright to Jacob because of hunger (Gen. 25: 29 – 32). Like the prodigal son, many Christians have lost their destiny and righteousness because of fear to die of starvation. At the peak of hunger, many Christians forget that Jesus said “A man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4: 4). Until we know God as the controller-General of resources, Satan will keep using starvation to stop us from attaining our destiny in life. Follow us to tomorrow as we begin touching things the prodigal son did to renew his destiny.
PRAYER:
Pray an overcomer’s prayers today by casting out spirit of self-rejection and fear of dying of starvation from your life using the name and Blood of Jesus Christ.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch