Possess the Gates of Your Enemies

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Bible records that the siblings of Rebekah blessed her and prayed that her descendants would possess the gates of those who hated them. Please read Genesis Chapter 24 verse.

Your enemies are the devil and his cohorts who determinedly stand against your progress, God’s divine progress for your life and your nation. An example which readily comes to mind is that of the Israelites enroute to Canaan but were hindered from forward movement at the gates of Jericho because the people of Jericho shut their gates against the Israelites. With massive impenetrable walls and firmly locked gates, the Israelites could not move forward. But God Who always has the last word brought down the walls of Jericho by His great power. Jericho was not only burnt down, the people of Israel possessed the gates of their enemies and proceeded to Canaan unchallenged by the now dead people of Jericho.

Yet another example is that of Balak who hired Balaam to curse the Israelites so that they would not make progress to the land of Canaan. Beloved, God frustrated both Balak and Balaam and the Israelites possessed the gates of those who hated them.

God’s judgment on Mount Seir/Edom because of their ancient hatred/bitter hatred against the children of Israel is an important lesson on why people should not hate.. The Edomites had consistently teamed up with Israel’s cantankerous and wicked neighbors to always fight against Israel, shedding the blood of Israelites. However, God always dealt with the Edomites.

In the book of 2^nd Chronicles Chapter 20, the Bible records how the Moabites and Ammonites turned against the Edomites and destroyed them completely before turning against each other to destroy themselves. Please take note of verses 21 to 29.

Where, when, how and why did Edom develop such bitter hatred for his brother Israel? After Jacob stole the blessings of the father from their father Isaac, the Bible records that Esau who later became known as Edom hated Jacob and took a decision to kill Jacob. Though they resolved their differences many years later, it is obvious that the harm had been done. How? It is possible that Esau must have told his children what Jacob did to him and his children also must have told their own children and it became a trans generational hatred culminating in the descendants of Esau (who had long become known as the Edomites and inhabitants of Mount Seir) always teaming up with the enemies of Israel against Israel). Please read Genesis Chapter 27 verse 41, Ezekiel Chapter. Unfortunately for the Edomites, God rose against them on account of their hatred for Israel.

Beloved, you do not have to run away from those who hate you and your nation. Rather, take control and drive out all the forces opposed to the perfect will of God for your nation. Ask God to intervene and route out all the opposition even as He routed out the Philistines in 1^st Samuel Chapter 7; Goliath and his fellow Philistines in 1^st Samuel Chapter 17. Do not entertain, do not accommodate; do not give right of way to the opposition. Your nation must survive in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Labor in prayers for God to dislodge the opposition no matter how fierce it is in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

David for instance took on Goliath by faith – he had never been to war, was not a trained soldier, did not own military dress and hardware and had never fought with military gadgets. But he was able to take on Goliath, brought him down and brought the victory which had eluded Israel for so long.

Pursue, Overtake and Recover All 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The strength of an oppressor lies in either the ignorance or outright refusal of the oppressed to take actions that would stop the oppression against the oppressed and oppression. As long as King Saul and his mortified army refused to act against the verbal oppression of Goliath, Goliath remained strong and invincible. But the moment that a mere teenager unschooled in military warfare showed up and challenged Goliath to a fight, the oppression came to an end and Goliath vacated  the earth for the Israelites to enjoy peace.

Beloved, do not allow any form of satanic oppression by anyone against you and your loved ones to go unchallenged. Confront every Goliath who makes you tremble and bring them down by the power in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not be emotional.

The seven year oppression of Israel by the Midianites came to an end when Gideon responded to the call of God to be used of God to put an end to the oppression that had impoverished and intimidated the people of Israel for so long. In point of fact, they were so intimidated that they threshed whatever wheat they were able to harvest in wine presses. But all that, the seven year reign of economic impoverishment came to an end with Gideon’s anointed army of just three hundred men.

In essence, God fought for Israel to pursue, overtake and recover all from the Midianites who always devastated the land of Israel.

This implies that the pursuit to overtake and recover it all is not by physical might and power. It is divine and by the Spirit of God. God takes the initiative to stop the oppression of the enemy, puts it in the hearts of His children by His Spirit and gives them the methods to deploy in pursuing and overtaking the enemy to recover it all.

Midian for instance had gotten used to just entering Israel at any point in time especially after planted crops had germinated and were in full bloom; not to harvest the crops but to destroy them so that the people of Israel would have nothing to eat. But God ended it. In like manner, any oppression being experienced by your nation can come to a sudden end by the Spirit of God if you and the people in your nation partner with God to end that oppression.

The Amalekites had done what they considered a great job. They had utterly destroyed Ziklag and taken the women and children captive. Needless to say, David and his men were devastated: to the point that his men considered stoning him. That was perhaps when David realized that he had not done the right. Instead of turning to God immediately, he had joined his men in wailing and now they were about to stone him. So with no one to wail with, David turned to God and God Who never fails His own gave David a word. Go after them irrespective of how far they appear to have gone for you will definitely recover all they took from you.

Armed with the word of God and other physical weapons, they embarked on the pursuit of the unknown raiders until God ordered their steps through the sick Egyptian servant of one of the Amalekites. He eventually led David and his men to the Amalekite raiders who were having a party. David and his men attacked immediately and rescued their wives and children as well as their flock.

You can be strong spiritually irrespective of whatever persecutions you face on a daily basis. Build spiritual stamina for the midnight hour. Deploy the weapons of spiritual warfare God has been schooling to use by His Holy Spirit.

Pursue, Overtake and Recover All 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Beloved, I have no idea what the enemy and his cohorts stole from you and your nation but those things can be recovered if you will up to God and give the enemy the hot pursuit of his life. It does not matter how far they have gone. Simply pursue them in prayers and whatever means God directs you to by His Spirit and you will recover all.

Goliath had succeeded in immobilizing the well-equipped and well-armed army of Israel for forty days and forty nights. That was plenty of time to crush a people’s spirit to submission. So as far as the Philistines were concerned, Israel had capitulated and would surrender in no time. But unknown to the Philistines, there was a young man whom God directed his teps to the camp to bring Goliath down. So after forty days and nights of oppression and torment, David rose up against Goliath and the oppression and torment ceased as Goliath was killed by David in minutes. The Israelites through David whom God used by His Spirit had successfully pursued, overtaken the Philistines and recovered all that the Philistines stole from them. Their confidence in God to deliver them was restored and they rose up confidently against the Philistines because a young man who had absolute trust in God dared to challenge Goliath. Please read 1^st Samuel Chapter 17 for details and insight.

The woman with the issue of blood did not give up in her quest for a cure despite all the negative reports and fail stories she had experienced. She pressed on and eventually was completely cured by the Master Healer Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.

How about the widow of the indebted prophet? Indebtedness had become their family identity and history and had even progressed to a situation where her two sons would serve debt bondage. But the woman chose to deal with the issue of indebtedness by consulting with God through Prophet Elisha. After being instructed by Prophet Elisha on what to do, she embarked on a pursue, overtake and recover all mission so that her two sons would be spared the debt bondage. Thereafter, indebtedness, was no longer their family identity and history.