"Road signs" are essential. If you don't follow..life is at stake. Life's journey can be rough and tough at times but with proper road signs and clear directions it can make things pretty easier. Don't take your life for granted. If you follow the signs correctly, you can be at your rightful destination on time. When you know the WAY, you can lead others in this wonderful Journey of Life. (Permission: You may download this to use it as an evangelistic tool. Please credit the creator/publisher. Don't change the contents without written permission. TQ)
Some time ago I heard a joke about a missionary going into the jungle to preach the gospel to the unreached tribal people. On his journey he met a roaring lion coming against him, he quickly knelled down and said a prayer and when he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see the lion also was praying – he was happy and said: “Hey! You too pray, are you a Christian lion?” Then the lion answered: “Yes sir, I always pray with thanksgiving before I enjoy my meals.”
In the same way we too go through many lions in our lives but sometimes we don’t overcome it, we just try to negotiate and simply give in to those bloodthirsty roaring lions. The Bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion looking to devour someone. In this article, we’re going to see the story of three mighty men of God who versus lions in their lives.
·Samson vs lion: Judges 14: 1- 20
In this chapter we see that Samson an anointed man who knowsthe will of God for his life. He wanted to marry a Philistine even though his parents disagree.
According to history, at this time Israel was ruled by Philistine and God wants to use this situation/ occasion to confront the Philistines. Somehow later Samson together with his parents went to Timnah to make the marriage agreement.
On that journey a young lion come roaring toward Samson and he defeated it by tearing it apart with bare hands as they tore young goats ( holding goat’s leg upside down and tearing it like been practiced in Arab ).
Some time later he went back to marry the girl and on his way he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass and found in it swarm of bees and some honey…he ate it and also gave some to his parents. Here we see that Samson turned aside to look at his past victory, it’s nothing wrong but staying put and digging the carcass means dead works are the symptoms of pride and eating honey out of the ‘dead body’ is not just disgusting but sinful thing to do for a Nazarene.
Yes! I agree that honey is sweet but sometimes sin also can be sweet like honey. Samson not only sinned against God by touching the carcass but he also shared his sin with others (gave some honey to his parents). Sometimes we too like that; we sin and later drag others into that zone to share the blame.
Speaking about honey; in 1 Samuel 14: 24 – 48 we see that Prince Jonathan on his way to war saw honey oozing out and he ate it. His action was against his father, King Saul’s command that no one in the army eat anything until they defeat the Philistines or they shall die by sword. Jonathan took for granted the father’s command (just like some of us take for granted our Father God’s command). He suppose to die but by grace he did not face the consequences but they retreat from fighting their enemy at that point of time. ‘Sin puts fear in us to fight on’. Honey is good, even God promised the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey but if the Lord says No! It is simply means No! Taste the LORD and not sin.
Sometimes the LORD uses our parents or guardians to speak to us and there are times He uses man of God to say No! to us – don’t argue or debate, just obey for obedience is better than sacrifice’ (1 Samuel 15: 22-23 ).
·David vs lion : 1 Samuel 17: 34-37
Psalmist David faces many battles, first when he was a shepherd boy he defeated not only lion but also bear and later Goliath…one victory after another, he did not give up. David did not fear obstacles and giants in his life, he was brave and dare to take challenges.
Don’t stop at one victory and go back to it again. Don’t be like Samson but be like King David – go ahead, face the trails and it will be easy to defeat as you go on defeating your sickness, problems, failures, financial breakdowns and ect.
·Daniel vs lions: Daniel 6: 1-28
Daniel was thrown into the lions den because of his prayerful life. That didn’t hinder him from doing the will of God. In verse 22 he said: ‘God sent his angels to shut the mouth
of the lions’. Yes Amen! God will surely deliver us from the mouth of the lions as it says in (2Ti 4:17,18 MKJV)But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that through me the preaching might be fulfilled, and that all the nations might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Probably, Daniel could have given a look at the hungry lions and they knew who he is and where his soul belongs, they dare not hurt him for the power and the glory of God enfolds
him; Hallelujah!
In the same way, after we learn to overcome one lion after another, bears and Goliaths in our life, a day will come for us to just give a stare at the devil, he will fear and shiver and shut his mouth and flee from us. Remember the finish work of the Cross.
Because of that victory in our life, God will make away even for the non believers including rulers of nations, kings, law makers, presidents and prime ministers to praise Him.
In Daniel 6: 27we see that king Darius praised God for delivering Daniel from the mouth of the lions.To destroy ‘lions’ in our lives, we need God’s help and He will save us from their clutches. (Psa 58:6 MKJV)O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the big teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.
(Job 4:10,11 MKJV)The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the strong lion's cubs are scattered abroad.
(Job 5:15 MKJV)But He saves the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Remember, Jesus Christ our Savior and Mighty Warrior is with us and has given us the authority to destroy the foes of darkness in His powerful and glorious name. The Bible says in (Psa 91:13 MKJV)You shall tread on the lion and adder; the young lion and the jackal You shall trample underfoot.
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