They Do Not Own You! Series

1 kings 20:1-30

There are some people who think they own you and all yours. In fact they have so much power over that, that it becomes a situation for fear. Have you ever had a supervisor or boss, or pastor or someone in an overwhelming position of authority or power who thinks they have total control to do and undo over your life?

Well this king and the children of Israel were in this impossible situation. Sometimes we encounter people who have so much spiritual power usually of the negative kind that they believe they have the power of life and death over you.

Verses 5-7 goes deeper into the problem.

The king of Israel was thoroughly discomfited that he had no choice but to voice the situation to his elders. Have you been in a situation that you have to crawl home and tell your spouse, there is a boss in the office that says if he/she does not have his/her way with me I will lose my job, will be transferred to a less favorable place or will be demoted etc?

Have local warlocks/wizards-witches and the like threatened you in your local environs. Perhaps the local gods in your village say people in your age group are not to prosper or reach the far reaches of the world?

The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob decided to have a say in the matter. Why? Because the evil fellow thought he had overwhelming influence and power. Thirty two kings and their armies were with him while Israel had only 232 able young men! Israel’s enemy Ben-hadad was so confident of his powers he was boasting and trying to desecrate the manhood of Israel.

Listen, when God decides to behave as God, a house full of young strapping youth can defeat 33 armies and their kings. And that is just what happened!

God can use a few kids to inspire a whole king. Just look at 1 kings 20:21.

Oh and there was a prophet involved. I always look at the connection between God and a prophet! If you are ever allowed to stand in the presence of a real prophet, you are standing before God’s power personified! And I am not talking about those who have been able to make a few guesses about what will be happening in the near future. “Oh, listen there is a fifty percent chance that it will rain tomorrow.”And then it rains! Oh what a prophet! No. Not that kind of prophet. I am talking of fire breeding prophets. The ones that don’t want your money, your titles, your cars and your house gifts. The ones that talk against the tide and don’t care what the consequences are! Yes that kind of prophet! Those are the ones Jehovah our banner sends to anoint battles that result in victory!

Ben-hadad and his boys felt they had lost the battle because it was fought on hilly ground. Jeremiah 20:23-45. There is an old african saying that the reason a stubborn goat goes back to try to steal your drying plantains trips is that you forgot to put soap made with soda there. So next time if he eats soda, he won’t come back because it will burn his mouth and insides! Ah. Old African saying. Literally means the enemy in his arrogance hasn’t learn its lesson.

So they decided to fight Israel in a valley. Listen, it is not every time being in a valley situation means you are in a loss position. Nope. It was time for the Jehovah Nissi to show He is both the God who owns the hill and the God who owns the valley. The Mighty Man in battle is He! 1kings 28-30. Look at what happened. The same young men killed 100000 enemy combatants in one day. Thats averagely about 430 kills per young man. Jehovah God is able to do ANYTHING for the Israelites. I am the God of all flesh, is their anything too hard for me. Jeremiah 32:27.

The only condition you will note is that these were God’s chosen people. Do You my dear friend need to win these kind of battles? Well, you have to make a choice to serve God. Go down on your knees and ask Jesus to become your Lord and savior now and just ask Him to forgive you all your sins and write your name in the book of life. You have the Lord and His army of angels taking sides with you from now on.

If you are that person who has his life hidden in Jesus, let us pray these prayers:

O Lord defeat all my sworn and overwhelming enemies in the valley and on the hill tonight in the name of Jesus.

Jesus the head of all principalities and powers, disarm and disgrace all my unrelenting adversaries tonight in the name of Jesus