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Today is Tuesday April 14, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of II Samuel. Please read chapters 3-5 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II%20Samuel%203-5&version=9

Today's Message: Strongholds
There are strongholds in our lives that keep us from living our lives for Christ, but they can be overcome through the Word of God.

A stronghold is a group, person, or thing that is the center of all that we do. Personal strongholds suggests secret thoughts that keep Christ from becoming Lord of our lives. Following the death of Saul, Abner, the powerful commander of Saul's armies, proclaimed Saul's son Ishbosheth king of Israel. "But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel." (II Samuel 2:8-9). The crown was rightfully meant for David, but David knew that he would be king of Israel when it was his appointed time to do so.

Shortly after, a civil war began between the house of David and the house of Saul. "Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker............And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul." (II Samuel 3:1,6). One of the biggest mistakes Christian's make is aligning themselves with non-Christian's, especially when it is for self gain, nothing good ever comes out of it in the end. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (II Corinthians 6:14).

About seven years later, there was a fierce quarrel between Abner and Ishbosheth, this resulted in Abner going to David to form a league with him instead. "And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee." (II Samuel 3:12). David agreed and Abner then contacted the elders of Israel, reminding them that David was anointed to be king over Israel to begin with. "And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies." (3:17-18). A short time after Abner met with David, he was murdered by Joab, the commander of David's army, and then Ishbosheth was assassinated by two of his own guards. Abner's stronghold was his ego, he wanted to be powerful and in control, using whatever charm he could to receive his desires.

After seven and a half years, David was anointed King of Judah. "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah." (II Samuel 5:1-5). David endured 20 trying years since being anointed by Samuel to become king. However, through all the discipline of daily difficulties, God was preparing David to be His faithful servant.

David's first anointing was by Samuel, he then was anointed King of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Then his anointing for the third time by the Northern Tribe united the two kingdoms. This marked one of the greatest days of Israel's history. However, before David united the 12 tribes, his first act after his anointing by the assembled tribes was to become head of his army and lead the war against the stronghold of the Jebusites. This battle was for Jerusalem, where God chose to place the only Temple in history where He would dwell on earth. "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David." (5:6-7).

Abner's stronghold as well as the stronghold of Zion represents the strongholds that lie deep within ourselves that keep us from making Jesus the center of our lives. There may be a place hidden from human view that is the center of our hearts, this can be physical improvement, a career, a forbidden love, or a habit that we have never surrendered over to God. We are now His Temples and no matter how good we are at hiding things from the human eye we can not hide them from God. Of course He wants us to be healthy and take care of ourselves, but we can not let the strongholds of the world be the center of our lives. Such strongholds are overcome as we daily read and obey God's Word and are filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2:15-17).

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
There is no limit to all that You have provided for us such as material blessings, physical health, the love of family and unending promises that You have already fulfilled or that are yet to be fulfilled. But You have also set visible and well-defined boundaries that are for our own good. Strongholds to either toe the boundary line or cross over into enemy territory will always be there, but You give us the power to resist and discernment to recognize the alluring deceit of the evil one. Help our eyes and hearts to remain focused on Your innumerable blessings and provisions as we stand against Satan, who seeks to destroy us. In Jesus' Name...........Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.
God Bless,

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