GOD SHALL SILENCE YOUR BOASTFUL ENEMIES

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

TOPIC: GOD SHALL SILENCE YOUR BOASTFUL ENEMIES

BY T. O. BANSO

“Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3 New King James Version).

The psalmist said in Psalm 75:4, “I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!’” (New Living Translation). After the LORD had opened Hannah’s womb, she said, “Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3 New King James Version).

Hannah continued by saying the bows of the mighty men were broken, and those who stumbled were girded with strength. She also said that those who were full had hired themselves out for bread, and the hungry had ceased to hunger. According to her, the barren had borne seven, and she who had many children had become feeble (verses 4-5).

It could be that you currently have some boastful enemies, proudly threatening to do one thing or the other against you, your family, business, etc. God shall silence all your boastful enemies.

Ahab, the king of Israel, sent this reply to Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, who had threatened to completely destroy Samaria, the capital of Israel: “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off” (1 Kings 20:11 New King James Version). Boasts alone don’t win wars! In the ensuing war, the LORD gave Israel victory.

Also, King Sennacherib of Assyria boasted that he would conquer Jerusalem. But who is he who speaks and it comes to pass when the Lord has not commanded it? (Lamentation 3:37). God shocked Sennacherib. In one night, 185,000 soldiers in his army died without the people of Judah using any weapon against them! The angel of the LORD did the job. Overwhelmed by the mass death, Sennacherib ran home, and his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him, right before his god (Isaiah 37:36-38).

Boastful Sennacherib was unable to enter Jerusalem, just as the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, had declared by the Word of the LORD that he would not come into this city, shoot an arrow there, come before it with shield, or build a siege mound against it. He said that by the way that he came, he would return; and he would not come into this city. God promised to defend and save Jerusalem for His own sake and for the sake of His servant, David (2 Kings 19:33-34). God fulfilled His Word.

It was a national disaster for the Assyrians, an unprecedented massacre! God did it for the Israelites because Hezekiah, the king of Judah, had prayed to Him against Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:15-20). God took over the battle Himself and silenced Judah’s boastful enemy. Cry to the Lord! Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Need I talk about the stubborn Egyptians? Without the children of Israel fighting any battle, God defeated their Egyptian enemies. He buried them in the Red Sea while the Israelites passed through the same sea unhurt. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army perished in the sea (Exodus 14).9

The LORD also defeated the Ethiopians when King Asa of Judah put his trust in Him. 2 Chronicles 14:9-11 says, “Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, ‘LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’” (New King James Version).

What was the result of King Asa’s cry to the LORD? “So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil” (2 Chronicles 14:12-13 New King James Version).

The Ethiopians came against Judah with a superior army. But the king of Judah told God that it wasn’t a problem for Him to
help the powerless against the mighty. He trusted God and went to fight the Ethiopians. God turned the battle against the Ethiopians and gave Judah victory.

In the name of Jesus, all the powerful forces fighting you shall be defeated. God will turn the battle against them. The God who defeated the Syrians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians will defeat all your enemies. Call upon Him as Moses did. The horses and their riders shall be thrown into the sea! Cry unto Him as Hezekiah and Asa did. Put your trust in God.

In Jeremiah 48:14-16, the LORD said about Edom, “You used to boast, ‘We are heroes, mighty men of war.’ But now Moab and her towns will be destroyed. Her most promising youth are doomed to slaughter,’ says the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty. ‘Calamity is coming fast to Moab; it threatens ominously’” (New Living Translation). God shall silence all your boastful enemies.

The psalmist says, “For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, And have put to shame those who hated us” (Psalm 44:6-7 New King James Version). God shall humble your foes; He shall silence all your boastful enemies.

Put your trust in the Lord; let Him fight your battles for you. “The Lord doesn’t care about the strength of horses or powerful armies. The Lord is pleased only with those who worship him and trust his love” (Psalm 147:10-11 Contemporary English Version).

Call upon the Lord. He is the LORD strong and Mighty, the LORD mighty in battle (Psalm 24:8). His name is Yahweh (Jehovah) Sabaoth – The LORD of hosts. This phrase is used over two hundred times in the Old Testament. Jehovah Sabaoth means the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The armies of heaven shall fight your battles.

No force can withstand God. In Exodus 15:3, Moses and the children of Israel called Him “a man of war” (New King James Version), or “a warrior” (New Living Translation). Verse 6 says, “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces” (New King James Version) The Lord of Heaven’s Armies shall do this for you. His right hand will give you victory.

Your enemies will not overpower you. God will not deliver me to the will of my adversaries (Psalm 27:12). The waves of the battles of life may toss and roar, but they can never pass the bounds set by God (Jeremiah 5:22). Your enemies are under God’s perpetual decree not to triumph over you!

The Lord shall give you victory. By faith, you shall be victorious over this evil world (1 John 5:4-5). God shall fight your battles; have faith in Him. He will silence your enemies.

Hannah said, “Now I have an answer for my enemies” (1 Samuel 2:1 New Living Translation). The Lord will give you an answer for your enemies. The King James Version says, “My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies.” The Lord shall enlarge your mouth over your enemies. He will silence them all. And you will say, “Now I can be glad and laugh at my enemies” (1 Samuel 2:1c Contemporary English Version).

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself.  I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: My Father and my God, silence all my boastful enemies. Give me an answer for my enemies. Enlarge my mouth over them. Cause me to be glad and laugh at my enemies. Father, I pray for all Your children that You will humble their enemies and disgrace those who hate them.

(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org