During one of the sport news sessions, two of these famous boxers were shown parading themselves on the stage while staring at each other and making some noise. My younger daughter asked; “Daddy, why are they looking into each other and shouting?” I responded; “It’s part of the strategy of warfare; look straight up to your adversary and shout him down.”
Friend, the battle of life is a battle of covenant. Truly, the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Like the Ephramite, It is not how kitted, gifted or skillful you are that determines where you end in life, it is your consciousness of your covenant with God that makes all the difference (Psalms 78:9).
When you contrast the Ephraimites with David, you would see that what they had in the physical, David lacked, and what they lacked in the spiritual, David had. David was a man of the covenant so he could face Goliath with all audacity and came out victorious (1 Samuel 17:45).
The children of Ephraim turned back, not because of the fierceness of the battle, but because they kept not the covenant of God (Psalms 78:10). They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in His ways. Listen, life is spiritual, and it takes covenant-minded people to stay on top of life’s situations.
The problem most times is not the size of the problem but the strength of your walk with the Lord. The devil will fight your relationship with God. You must guard it jealously; your very life depends on it. Don’t let your busy schedule rob you of your walk with the Lord. Don’t let the new relationships you find yourself in sever you from intimacy with God (Psalms 1:1-3).
Don’t let life’s pressures suffocate you out of intimacy with God. Whatever is pressuring you must pressure you into God’s presence and not out of it (Psalms 73:17). You must press into prayers. You must press into the word. You must press into intimacy with God. Your Church life must be strong, regular and effective; you must not break camp (Psalms 68:6).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria