WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
OCTOBER 31, 2021
TOPIC: MY ENEMIES, DON’T REJOICE YET
BY T. O. BANSO
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8 New King James Version).
In 2 Samuel 16, Shimei cursed David as he fled from his son, Absalom, who had overthrown him. He was bitter that David, from the tribe of Judah, had taken over the kingdom from Saul, a Benjamite like him. He insulted David, believing that he was down and out. He rejoiced over his misfortune.
2 Samuel 16:5-8 says, “Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” (New King James Version).
One of David’s men, Abishai the son of Zeruiah, was so angry at Shimei for this unprovoked insult on David that he sought David’s permission to go and cut off his head, but David didn’t allow him. However, the turn of events later proved that Shimei rejoiced too soon at what he considered David’s downfall. He didn’t know that it was just a setback, which David would soon recover from.
Absalom’s rebellion was put down and David would have to return to the throne. Shimei had openly shown himself as the enemy of David, who would soon be back to the throne. He had court trouble for himself with his mouth.
Be careful how you talk to people when they appear down. They may stand up again and what you’ve spoken to them will either count for you or against you. David returned to the throne and Shimei had to eat his words, begging for his life. David was magnanimous. He vowed that his life would be spared (2 Samuel 19:18-23). Though David forgave him, he didn’t forget!
Before David died, he handed over his case to Solomon, his successor, to execute judgment on him – Shimei must die a bloody death! (1 Kings 2:8-9). Shimei’s matter was what David discussed last with Solomon before he died, so Solomon could remember vividly! He, therefore, set a trap for Shimei, which he fell into. He violated Solomon’s word never to go out of Jerusalem, and for that, Solomon got him executed for cursing his father, David (1 Kings 2:36-46).
Who are the enemies that are rejoicing over your failure, challenge, difficulty, delay, etc? Tell them they are mistaken; they’re myopic. Your present condition is not your end; it’s just a setback, and you’ll recover. It’s too early for them to rejoice over you. It’s premature for them to begin to laugh at you. You will laugh last! Very soon, they’ll eat their words in Jesus’ name.
Micah 7:8 says, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me” (New King James Version). Shimei’s rejoicing soon turned to sorrow when it became obvious that David had reclaimed the throne. You will recover what you’ve lost; you will reclaim whatever has been stolen from you. Your enemies shall be put to shame. They eat their words.
Proverbs 24:16 says, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked low” (New Living Translation). The godly may be walking in darkness now, but they will soon see a great light (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:15-26). Child of God, your enemies shouldn’t rejoice yet. You may be knocked down, but it’s not a knockout! You may have been persecuted, but God has not forsaken you and will not. And you may have been struck down but God won’t allow you to be destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). This is not your end. You will rise again.
Amos 9:11 says, “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins” (New King James Version). Your enemies shouldn’t rejoice yet, because God shall rebuild whatever has broken down in your life. He will remove the enemies’ reproach in your life. He will restore you. He will restore to you the years that the swarming locust, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust have eaten (Joel 2:25).
There is resurrection after the crucifixion! With the help of God, he who is down can rise again. Therefore, there is hope for you; your enemies who have written you off will regret it. “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant” (Job 14:7-9 New King James Version).
Job lost everything, but God blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning (Job 42:12). Your story will soon change; your enemies shouldn’t rejoice yet. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23-24 New King James Version).
In the book of Obadiah, God passed a judgment on Edom, the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother and the Israelites’ ancestor, for maltreating them on their day of destruction, distress, and calamity (Obadiah 12-14).
God said to Edom, “For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on the other side — In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem — Even you were as one of them” (Obadiah 10-11 New King James Version).
God said Edom shall be destroyed but Israel shall be restored. “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,’ For the LORD has spoken” (Obadiah 17-18 New King James Version).
Those who’re rejoicing over your present predicaments or challenges will soon know that your God is the Almighty God. They will soon know that your God is alive and His power is above all. He will fight for you and restore you. “Then she who is my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, ‘Where is the LORD your God?’ My eyes will see her; Now she will be trampled down like mud in the streets” (Micah 7:10 New King James Version).
It is not yet over for you. Tell your enemies not to rejoice over you; when you fall, you will arise; when you sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to you.
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 resurrected 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 the palm tree and grow like the 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: Father, let not my enemies rejoice over me. Though I have fallen, lift me up. Help me to recover what I’ve lost and reclaim whatever has been stolen from me. Restore to me the years that the locusts have eaten. Put my enemies to shame. Turn my shame into glory and my lamentation into a celebration.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
