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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 25 October 2023:
Daniel 10:1 – In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
Daniel’s next recorded vision is two years later. How long will you prayerfully wait and remain obedient before you hear a clear word from God? Many Christians, in their impatience, try to invent words from God in order answer their doubts and make decisions led by presumption and emotion rather than God’s direction. Be still and know that God is God. Wait upon Him.
Daniel 10:3 – I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.
How serious are you about following Jesus? How desperately do you want to know His word? Daniel had been in mournful prayer and fasting for twenty-four days (presumably a regular practice for him) before God gave him a vision. Doubtful he would have done this if he were clamoring for political position in the king’s palace, something he had the opportunity to do, or relying on his own strength to solve the problems of his people. Do you believe prayer is more powerful than politics, positions, or protests?
Though he was surrounded by people, Daniel was alone in his vision, and his personal strengths and abilities were meaningless. Nothing that was about to happen was contrived by him or his intellect. The servant of God will likely stand alone and can only transmit (not craft) God’s word.
Daniel 10:12 — Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
Daniel’s prayer was heard by God immediately, though Daniel didn’t know it. Daniel was heard because he “set [his] heart to understand and humbled [himself].”
Daniel 10:15 – When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.
God’s word will leave you speechless, and when God speaks, you will have no doubt it was Him who spoke.
- John 10:27 -- My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Daniel 10:20 – But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia.
There is a real spiritual battle occurring which we cannot perceive unless it is revealed to us by the Spirit and which can only be fought through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit working through us. Through prayer, the supernatural guiding of the Holy Spirit, and our wholehearted obedience to God’s word, God will do what we can’t do so we can clearly see that the victory is His and not ours and so He gets all the glory. God does not need us to win the fight for Him, but He allows us to participate so we can know Him and be one with Him. (John 17:3)
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 -- For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ….
- Colossians 4:2 - Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 John 4:1-3 — Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
Today, John warns against ‘teachers’ who promote the spirit of “antichrist,” a popular term used only by John in the Bible, only five times, and only in two Epistles. Previously, John said, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)
Those who teach in the spirit of antichrist are acting as antichrists – “an-tee-kris-toess – in opposition to the Messiah.” Today, John further explains that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is NOT from God.” Antichrist teachings are not usually blatant attacks against the Gospel, but rather are subtle, appealing and deceptive messages offering a way, a truth, a future, a hope, or fulfillment in something other than Christ. John warns that even the Christian must be very careful to avoid false teachers and teachings that can creep in. We should reject instruction from those who aren’t grounded in Christ and obedience to the word no matter how popular they are or how appealing their message; we should observe whether teachers’ lives reveal the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of their faith; and we should always confirm what we are taught from our own study of the Bible – “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
So, what popular teachers, scholars or best-selling authors who don’t confess Jesus influence your thinking, decisions and behavior? How have ungodly teachings (which offer truth, salvation, future and hope apart from Jesus) permeated the fabric of our society? Do you recognize today’s antichrists? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
- Matthew 24:11 — And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
- Matthew 12:30 — Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
- Colossians 2:8 — See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4 — For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
- Galatians 1:6-9 — I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
- 1 Timothy 6:3-5 — If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
- Jude 1:4 — For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
- 1 Timothy 6:20-21 — O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 John 4:16 – So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
From Henry T. Blackaby – “The greatest truth in all of Scripture is this: God is love. Understanding this in its full dimensions will set you free to enjoy all that is yours as a Christian. But you must accept that God loves you. If you grew up experiencing unconditional love in your family, this may not be difficult for you. However, if your early years were void of love, this truth may be hard to accept. God loves you, not because you deserve His love, but because His nature is love. The only way He will ever relate to you is in love. His love for you gives you an inherent worth that nothing can diminish.
If you cannot accept the truth that God loves you, you will be limited in how you can relate to Him. When He disciplines you, you will not take it as an expression of His love. Rather, you may resent Him. When God says no to a request that is less than His best for you, you will conclude that He doesn’t care about you. Without a clear understanding and acceptance of God’s love for you, you will be disoriented to Him and to what He wants to do in your life. If you will accept God’s love, however, you will be able to return love to God as well as to others (1 John 4:19).
Are you experiencing the profound sense of joy and security that comes from knowing you are dearly loved by God? Being assured of God’s love for you sets you free to enjoy the numerous expressions of love He showers upon you each day.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 25 October 2023: Accept all your circumstances as an expression of God’s love for you as He works all things out together for good (not that all things are good) for you, who He loves perfectly and sovereignly, in order to grow you into Christlikeness and perfect unity with Him.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 