1 Kings 11:14-25 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 11:14-25. Let’s go!
1 Kings 11:25 (NIV)
25 Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram and was hostile toward Israel.
On verses 14-25: In these verses we see various enemies rising up against Solomon. One is King Hadad of Edom (v14-22) and Rezon of Aram (v23-25). Notice that the arrival of these enemies comes immediately after the writer of 1 Kings describes how King Solomon repeatedly disobeyed God’s command not to get romantically involved with women who do not worship the Lord (v1-13). The enemies came after Solomon refused to repent.
What can we learn from this? The Bible says that we too have an enemy — Satan — and that Satan’s agenda is to steal, kill and destroy our lives (Ephesians 6:12; John 10:10). When we persist in sin and refuse to repent, we give room for our enemy Satan to work in our lives. When I keep sinning and refuse to repent, I effectively give Satan a foothold to work and to cause trouble in the territory God has given me.
Unconfessed sin is like an open door for the enemy to bother you. You may be going about life as normal, when suddenly the enemy attacks in a way that you least expect, much like Hadad suddenly rose up against Solomon without notice (v21). That’s why in Ephesians 4:26-27 Paul warns his church “do not give the devil a foothold”.
How do you keep the enemy from continuing to bother you? It’s by confessing your sins, receiving forgiveness for your sins through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross, repenting and turning from such sins, rebuking the enemy in Jesus’ name and telling Satan to get away from your life. It’s by replacing the lies you have believed and the habits you’ve been practicing with God’s truth and with life-giving habits. Take away every foothold that Satan might want to grab. Do it by repenting of sin and turning to Jesus.
Are there any unconfessed sins that you struggle with? Take the time to confess those sins before God and to ask for His forgiveness. Be specific in your confession. The more specific your confession, the bigger the breakthrough. After confessing those sins to God, you can pray as follows:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You died on the cross and rose again so that I could be forgiven of all my sins. I agree with You that those sinful habits are not Your best plan for me. I turn from them now and I receive Your forgiveness for those sins. In Jesus’ name, I rebuke Satan for trying to bother me. I replace every lie from Satan with the truth that God is good, God is in control, and that Jesus has paid for all of my sins. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to see if there are any other areas of my life where, through unconfessed sin, I have allowed the enemy to have a foothold. Help me in Jesus’ name to reclaim the territory my enemy has been occupying: to confess my sins, to turn from them, and to rebuke the enemy from bothering me any further. May my whole life be under Jesus’ control and therefore full of peace. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
