Jesus Christ knew that man’s greatest enemy is within his/her family. During the time Jesus was cautioning His Disciples about the end of the world events, He told them of when members of the family will hand them over to the authorities to be killed. This means that the same family member will be used as household enemies (Luke 21: 16). In responding to the first series of this devotional, Deacon Zakari Ebiloma described evil operations of household enemy as “phenomenal” as such attacks has “been from generation to generations.” Today’s devotional traces few people in the Bible who household enemies dealt with, and liken it to how they still deal with people presently.
The story of Joseph comes first. Joseph’s earliest troubles were perpetuated by his brothers. They were his household enemies. He was thrown into a dried well for a while, and later sold out as a slave (Gen. 37: 18 – 28). The household enemy does puts one into a pit spiritually to limit the person’s progresses. Once you are put into spiritual pit, you’re circumscribed, meaning you’re restricted within limits. When household enemy sells one out as slave, such a person will be subjected to fruitless labours. Member of one’s family, who knows every plan of someone, either put the person in a spiritual pit or sells the person out for spiritual slavery. Household enemy as brother, sister, or trusted friends can set traps for someone so as to stop one’s projects. Prophet Obadiah mentioned this in Obadiah 7. Once one is trapped, every project or attempts in doing businesses will collapse.
Community people do become household enemies. What they do is collectively betray the targeted person. The people of Ziph collaborated in revealing the whereabouts of King David to King Saul when David was running from Saul for safety. First, when David was in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hachilah, the Ziphites went and told King Saul (1 Sam. 23: 19 – 20). When King David moved to the wilderness of Maon, the Ziphites went and told Saul again (1 Sam. 23: 19). The Ziphites again went and told King Saul that King David had moved to the hill of Hachilah which overlooks the city of Jeshimon (1 Sam. 26: 1-2). Whoever the household enemies are revealing his movements, business whereabouts or schools the person went to for academic qualifications will never get good results in life.
There will be need to point out how colleagues in same profession or business families can act as household enemies. Case in point here is Prophet Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah that his own people have turned away from him (Jer.12: 6).These people later began to plot evil against him. Jeremiah described them as his acquaintances (Jer. 20: 2). It is usually a difficult moment when one’s acquaintances, closely related persons collectively turn against that person for harm. This phenomenon is still going on in the society. When you the reader of this devotional found yourself in any of the above situation, take your cases to God. He will deliver you.
PRAYERS:
1. Father, by this devotional, I can see why many things never worked well with me as expected; kindly deal away with, all household enemies fighting me by the fire of the Holy Ghost.
2. Let all altars my household enemies are attacking me from burn by Holy Ghost Fire today, in Jesus name!
POSITIVE DECLARATION:
I am emerging an overcomer of household enemies from today through the Blood of Jesus. Hallelujah!
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch