DAY 9: OBEYING THE RULES OF RIDING IN HIGH PLACES
BIBLE READING: Genesis 2:15-17; Eph. 6:10-18
Contemporary earthly life is governed by rules, regulations and principles. In Gen 2:15-17, when God created Adam and Eve, He gave them instructions of what to eat and not eat; what to do; and how to live their lives. They were enjoying their lives, having fellowship with God and riding on the heights until the devil showed up. Choosing to obey the tempter rather than Jehovah, man broke the divine commandment and fell from glory to shame.
The man of dominion became a vagabond and was banished from the Garden of Eden where all his needs were fully met and exceeded, to a life of wandering, curses and toils. regulations of God, then trouble came into the life of man.
King Solomon advises us in Proverbs 4:13 to “Take hold of instruction, keep her and not let her go, because she is our life”.
The Bible is the divinely given, tested and profitable manual for our life’s journey, to which we must pay attention if we want to ride in the high places. It contains principles and guiding rules on how we can ride on the high places of the earth which include the following:
- Dying daily – 1 Cor. 15:31.
- Every believer is called to die daily to flesh, sin and worldly pleasures because the eyes of God cannot behold iniquity. If we want God to be with us in our life’s journey this year and make us successful in all areas of our lives, we must do away with sin and all its allurements. We do self-examination in the mirror of the Word of God daily and destroy/put to death the works of the flesh and the sin that easily besets us.
- Reading, studying and practising the Scriptures daily – Joshua 1:8; Psalm 5:3.
- We must find time to read, study and practise the word of God daily. We must desire to hear what our Master wants to say to us before we set out every morning.
- Pray without ceasing – 1Thess 5:17.
- Prayer is the Christian’s staff to work with God. It brings us into fellowship and communication with God. Prayerlessness is an act of arrogance to God. If we really want to ride on the high places this year, we cannot but commune with him day and night because He is the only One that knows the way to success.
- Humility – Colossians 3:12; 1Peter 5:5.
- Humility is the quality of being humble. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble; He loves, helps, blesses and promotes humble people
PRAYER POINTS
- Father, help me to never arrogate myself above your commandments in Jesus’ name.
- I receive grace to die daily to the flesh and the pleasures of this world in Jesus’ name.
- Holy Spirit, energise me for prevailing and ceaseless prayers, in season and out of season this year in Jesus’ name.
- Fresh fire of prayer, rest upon me now in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, help me to stay focused on your priorities for my life this year and not dabble into activities that are not in your plan for my life in Jesus’ name.
- Every atom of pride or arrogance in my life, die now in Jesus name.
- Father, clothe me with the spirit of humility in Jesus name.
- O God, make me strong in your mighty power so that the devil finds no accusation against me in Jesus’ name.
- In Jesus’ name, I extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one with my shield of faith – Mark 9:24; Ephesians 6:16.
- I receive grace to stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around my waist. I know that as I pursue the truth and press into the whole counsel of God’s Word as my template for life, the father of lies will have nothing in me!
- Father, I ask for the discipline to read, study and practice the Word of life daily and be an encouragement to other brethren.
- I receive wisdom to use the sword of the Spirit as my defensive and offensive weapon against the devil every time in Jesus’ name – Luke 4:1-13; Eph 6:17.
- In any area of my inadequacies and personal struggles with obeying the Word, I humbly myself to seek help from my leaders in the church so as not to become an easy prey for the enemy or get easily tangled up in sin in Jesus’ name.
- In Jesus’ name, my heart is protected with the breastplate of righteousness that Christ gives us (2Corinth. 5:21) and the continuing righteous acts of my daily responses to God’s gift (Rev. 19:8)
- O God, create an eagerness within me to share your good news of peace and keep my feet anchored and standing firm, secured in Christ – Eph. 6:15.