July 1. Obadiah 1, Psalm 82 - 83.

 

As you read today’s Scriptures of this chronological plan to read through the Bible, think of your greatest enemy, if you do not have one, think of the evil one – if you love God, the devil hates you. Today's devotional can help restore order in your life, that the enemy has plundered.

Have you ever felt like others who have it made, could care less about you and your circumstances; they live in their safe, comfortable homes and look down on you for your low estate?

 

Obadiah 1:3 “You are proud because you live in those high, inaccessible cliffs. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here!’ you boast. Don’t fool yourselves!

 

Have you ever felt that you were taken advantage of, especially when you were the most vulnerable, and someone came, someone who did not need it, but they took all you had? Maybe it was your heart, your love, your trust, your hope, your joy, it does not have to be physical possessions or things that were lost, but they took everything from you. They left you feeling like an empty shell, no hope, no more fight in you. Done. Spent. Tired.

 

Obadiah 1:11 For you deserted Israel in his time of need. You stood aloof, refusing to lift a finger to help him when invaders carried off his wealth and divided Jerusalem among them by lot; you were as one of his enemies.

Obadiah 1:13 You yourselves went into the land of Israel in the day of his calamity and looted him. You made yourselves rich at his expense.

 

Have you ever felt like everyone and everything were against you; you had no allies?

 

Psalm 83:3 They are full of craftiness and plot against your people, laying plans to slay your precious ones. 4 “Come,” they say, “and let us wipe out Israel as a nation—we will destroy the very memory of her existence.” 5 This was their unanimous decision at their summit conference—they signed a treaty to ally themselves against Almighty God—

 

So how do you handle that, when the enemy is winning in your life? How do you handle it when you have no one to fight on your side or extend to you a helping hand or at the very least a kind word of hope? What do you do? God’s people faced these situations often, which left them with one option of hope and deliverance – they prayed:

 

Psalm 83:17 Make them failures in everything they do; let them be ashamed and terrified 18 until they learn that you alone, Jehovah, are the God above all gods in supreme charge of all the earth.

 

Good ahead, pray boldly to your Heavenly Father to thwart the plans of your enemy. Why? Not for your deliverance, but that the world around you will learn of your God! Now that is a powerful prayer, and He will deliver you.