*DAILY DEW 10/DECEMBER/2023* *TAKING NATIONS FORCEFULLY* (II) _Key Bible Text:_ *"And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize--a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]."* (Matthew 11:12 (Amplified)) _Bible Insight:_ Seize it by force? So if force and violence is not physical in dimensions, what then does it refer to? Force or violence here is one of the Spirit. Many physically forceful or violent folks are not actually spiritually forceful nor violent. The physical dimensions of force and violence are actually easier to attain or practice than the spiritula dimensions. The spiritual force & violence is in actions and practices dictated by the Word of God. When Jesus spoke of force, it should be clear that force or violence is not in physical dimensions. See Luke 9:51-52 (KJV) *"And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him."* *"And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt THOU THAT WE COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEM, EVEN AS ELIAS DID?"* Luke 9:53-54 (KJV) You will see that the force is not physical. If it was physical, Jesus would have said, "send fire..." Instead, *"But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."* Luke 9:55-56 (KJV) _MEDITATION:_ *The force & violence that takes on nations must be the pattern laid by scriptural examples* *#DavidJoshuaEgbochuo* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Hello_DECEMBER,2023* ❤ Links To Visit: *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.....

*DAILY DEW 9/DECEMBER/2023* *TAKING NATIONS FORCEFULLY* _Key Bible Text:_ *"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."* (Matthew 11:12 (KJV)) _Bible Insight:_ The word FORCE means a couple of things. And truly the violent always uses force. But the force Jesus was referring to, is not and cannot be physical force nor physical violence. Why do we say that? We will get to that soon. Let's look at some of the meaning of the word FORCE- 1. strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement; 2. coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence; 3. mental or moral strength or power; 4. an organized body of military personnel or police. From all these English definitions of force, 2 & 4 are completely out of it. 1 & 3 may apply, when such is directed towards God's will and as led by God's word and Spirit. Also, note that the violent in question is not one who is physically aggressive or unsafe to be with. Essentially, both force and violence does not refer primarily to physical dimensions. We know this because, For by strength shall no man prevail (1 Samuel 2:9) _MEDITATION:_ *Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.* (Psalms 20:7 (KJV)) *#DavidJoshuaEgbochuo* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Hello_DECEMBER,2023* ❤ Links To Visit: *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.....

*DAILY DEW 8/DECEMBER/2023* *How to Be Strengthened* (2) _Key Bible Text:_ *"And after you have undergone pain for a little time, the God of all grace who has given you a part in his eternal glory through Christ Jesus, will himself give you strength and support, and make you complete in every good thing."* (1 Peter 5:10 (BBE)) _Bible Insight:_ Pain. A word we don't like. No one does. Yet, a word no one will escape both for good & bad reasons. Pain is so commonly hated that anyone who claims to like pain is tagged a sadist. No pain, no gain. A commonly accepted fact that this generation & the next is bent on avoiding by every conceivable means possible. Instead, "pain" has been conveniently replaced by "easy". Such self deceit. No true or lasting victory or success is painless. It does not exist. The ability to endure pain for a while is what it means to possess strength. Pain endured, is strength gained. Pain excused, is strength forfeited. Pain is actually not an enemy, as many believe. Pain is necessary for anything of worth to be built. Pain is the brother or close relative of stress. A generation that is stress intolerant is always going to fall for cheap scam and schemes. A generation of yahoo yahoo and quick get rich schemes & money rituals, is evidence that many have lost the ability to embrace or endure the stress necessary to build & retain decent success in any well meaning venture. Even in the kingdom, God does not promise us a painless or stress-less Journey but one filled with his grace to enable us face the music. _MEDITATION:_ *Work is not only a product of strength, but actually the source of strength. No man develops the strength of their muscles by lack of exercise but by the work of regular exercise.* *#DavidJoshuaEgbochuo* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Hello_DECEMBER,2023* ❤ Links To Visit: *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.....

*DAILY DEW 7/DECEMBER/2023* *How to Be Strengthened* _Key Bible Text:_ *"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."* (1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)) _Bible Insight:_ We usually think that it takes strength to work, but ironically it takes work to build strength. The man who will gain strength, will not do so by lying down all day. Try it and see. To gain strength, you need to throw yourself into the work first in your mind. Your mind must come to a place of acceptance that the work must be done and done by no one else but you. This is the first thing that gives way to the rise of strength to get through the job and get it done. After accepting the work, we then throw ourselves into it. We must exercise or attempt or practice doing the work. For strength to materialize, it is as you get down into the work, you discover that strength is coming to play. And the more you do the work, the more you gain strength to do the work. Strength does not come by doing nothing or little. Strength is achieved by exercise, attempting or practicing the work. In the process, strength kicks in and in increasing measures. Take prayer for instance. You will gain strength to pray not by waiting to see strength first, but by reluctantly or hesitantly throwing in yourself to begin the prayer process. When you have suffered the state of strengthlessness for a while, thereafter, you begin to see strength rise gradually. _MEDITATION:_ *Work is not only a product of strength, but actually the source of strength. No man develops the strength of their muscles by lack of exercise but by the work of regular exercise.* *#DavidJoshuaEgbochuo* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Hello_DECEMBER,2023* ❤ Links To Visit: *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.....

*DAILY DEW 6/DECEMBER/2023* *Dealing With Depression* (IV) _Key Bible Text:_ *"Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God."* (Psalms 42:11 (Amplified)) _Bible Insight:_ 4. Don't assume you know the best for yourself. Accept that God can use unpleasant situations and bad events for good in your life. This is perhaps one angle that cannot be overemphasized if one must stay ahead of depression. Never assume you know the best for yourself. Even King Hezekiah who thought extending his lifetime will be a great thing, ended up making the worst mistake of his life, in the extra years of his life. "Who him extra years of living help?" So don't be too sure you know what is best for you. Rather, trust God. Joseph would probably never have entered his destiny if he didn't have to suffer the hatred of his brothers, that led to his being sold as a slave. #Selah While a slave, he could have thought God was not with him or good enough to him. Because after God allowed his brothers to hate and sell him off, he could also had accused God for allowing him to be jailed for trying to please God, by not sleeping around. But rather than play God in his life or assumed he knew what was good or bad for him, he continued to walk with grace and gratitude, caring for others even in the prison. This eventually led to his "prison break to prime minister" story. Those challenges are not necessarily bad, you know. Those delayed answers to prayers, may be God answering you in a bigger and better way. Don't be too sure God is not helping or answering you. Sometimes, all you need do to send away that creepy depressing thought is to ask yourself: *"what if this place right here, this challenge I am facing right now, is exactly what God has in mind for me, knowing that it would work out my greater good?"* Dont be a perfectionist. Don't be an ITK (I too know). God knows better. Accept that God knows all. And ask him to fill you with peace. Philippians 4:7 (KJV) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. _MEDITATION:_ *And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.* (Romans 8:28 (KJV)) *#DavidJoshuaEgbochuo* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Hello_DECEMBER,2023* ❤ Links To Visit: *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.....