MONDAY, JANUARY 4
Scripture: Genesis 15:9-14, 1 Samuel 7

Verses 9-13 says, “So He said to him, ’Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: ‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.’” Abram asked God to give him something so he would know he would inherit it. God’s answer was a Blood Covenant where both of them walked between the pieces of separated animals, declared their assets, declared their allegiance to each other and declared a curse which stated ‘Do to me what was done to this animal if I do not fulfill what I agree to do today.’ And in verse 13,14 God gave Abraham what he asked for: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” Do we know the God Who covenants to judge an enemy who tries to afflict us? We should! It is the whole foundation for the Blood Covenant that God made with Abraham. And if we are Christ’s, we are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. In many nations, government is afflicting the church as never before. Islam is afflicting the church as never before. Our covenant gives us the right to pray and put a demand on God for a response. We can ask that He step in between us and our enemies to weigh to them what they are weighing to us. That is a biblical prayer that appears throughout the New Testament. Are we finding the courage to pray it right now over our Supreme Court, our senators, our president and over every Islamic extremist who are persecuting the church? Sometimes we do not have because we do not ask. This season is erupting with all the fireworks that surround Jesus the Judge when He swings into action. Either we know how to move His Hand or we do not. The prophet Samuel did! 1 Samuel 7 says, “And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.” Are we willing to pay the price that Samuel paid? Are we willing to overcome the spirit of mammon, walk in sexual purity and walk in righteousness? Samuel drew a line of distinction between the previous priesthood of Eli and his priesthood. That line he did not cross his whole life. As a result, he moved the Hand of God judicially his whole life. And the Philistines were subdued under Samuel and Israel because one man chose to live a life of righteousness. What would happen today if the church were to choose to live a life of righteousness? Our prayer would move God’s Hand and our enemies in our state capitals, in DC and around the globe would bow their knee or they would depart under the weight of God’s affliction. Judgment is brewing and God is waiting for His church to move His Hand to subdue the enemies of His Kingdom.