MEMORY VERSE: And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? Luke 9:54
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 39-41
What is a pattern? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as a reliable sample of traits, acts, tendencies, or other observable characteristics of a person, group, or institution. A teacher with thirty years of teaching experience, during an end-of-the-year programme of a school, encouraged parents to keep an eye on their children and stamp out any behavioral pattern that could be detrimental to their progress in the future. According to her, young children grow up to be bigger pictures of who they currently are and unless there was some kind of intervention – parental or divine. Just as a child’s life is predictable, the outcome of a person’s life, whether as a success or a failure, can also be determined beforehand (to a very great extent). Just by observing patterns in one’s biological or spiritual family, whether one will fail or succeed can be determined beforehand. Unless one is able to recognize any evil patterns present, pray and (in some cases) fast to break these patterns, one may end up facing the same challenges one’s parents or family faced in their marriage, finances, health, etc. Not until the Holy Spirit opens one’s eyes to see these evil patterns, untold sorrow, failure –at- the- edge- of- success, divorce, marital delay, etc, is inevitable.
Remember, “ we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12)”, and as such, the moment the Holy Spirit open’s your eyes to recognize any evil pattern(s) in your life or family, prayerfully break these patterns. (Note: These patterns are no one’s faults except the devil that steals, kills and destroys). Looking at the life of Abraham, Isaac (his son) and Jacob (his grandson), we find an evil pattern of 'delay in childbearing'. Abraham’s wife (Sarah) was barren and did not give birth until the age of 90 years. Isaac’s wife (Rebekah) was barren. Genesis 25:21 says, “and Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” Jacob’s second wife (Rachel) also experienced bareness (Genesis29:31). Had each of them not cry to God, they may have ended up childless. In the family of Zebedee, it was fiery and destructive anger. Although the bible did not tell us about their parent’s temper, we don’t need to travel far to know the source of their anger. Where else would they have gotten that fiery and destructive anger from except home? Luke9:54 says, “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” For two brothers of the same parents, to exhibit that kind of anger, i doubt they didn't inherit it. Besides, research has proved that children do inherit their parent’s anger. Some of the reasons why many of us are unable to recognize these evil patterns, even when the Holy Spirit highlights them to us is because we see them as coincidences. I want you to know that evil patterns can be broken. It was broken in the life of Abraham and his children. It was also broken in the life of John and James. Do not give the enemy a foothold in your life.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: You can break that evil pattern of failure-at-the- edge-of-success with prayer. You can break that evil pattern of divorce with prayer. You can break that evil pattern of impecuniosity with prayer. You can break that evil pattern of marrying late with praying and fasting. You don’t have to face what others faced. You don't have to go through what others went through. Good things can begin with you. You can become the first to get it right in marriage.
PRAYER POINT: Father, i break every evil pattern in my life in Jesus name.
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.
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