“And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; and had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all” (I Samuel 30:1-8). “And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all” (I Samuel 30:18-19).
According to scripture, when David and his men returned home on the third day, they found that the Amalekites had raided and burned the city to the ground, while carrying off all the women and children. David would later ask God if they should pursue the Amalekites and God responded saying, “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” So, David did as the Lord God instructed him and scripture records that “David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away.” David got back everything that had been taken. He and his men recovered their families and all of their belongings. David was even able to rescue his two wives. David recovered everything.
This is a very popular passage that has been applied to us claiming back everything that devil has stolen from us, but is this scriptural or a misapplication? Yes, Jesus tells us, that “the thief come to steal, to kill, and to destroy,” but at the same time, Jesus tells us that he come that “we might have life and have that life more abundantly” (John 10:10). Scripture tells us that “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (II Corinthians 8:9). Jesus, who was “manifested to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8), “came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Many believe the son of man’s main purpose for coming was to save individual lost souls, but truth be told, saving lost souls was the by-product of what he actually did.
There were many things lost that Jesus saved, but one of the more important things was “the authority” (dominion) (Matthew 28:18) that “the first man had lost” (Luke 4:6), “in the garden when he ate of the fruit” (Genesis 3:6-7). This is how the devil became known as “the god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4) or “the prince of this world” (John 12:31). In getting back this authority (dominion), Jesus also gave mankind the ability “to cast out devils and to lay hands on and heal the sick” (Mark 16:17-20), along with several other things. Jesus, who “redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13), also gave man the privilege “to become a child of God” (John 1:12-13), so that all could share in “the blessing of Abraham” and receive “the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). As a child of God, man now has “the right to” the inheritance of the new covenant, “a better covenant, built with better promises” (Hebrews 8:6-13), the right to “a divine inheritance to the best in life,” deserving all the Father has to offer (Romans 8:14-17), which includes the right to “good health, wealth, and total life prosperity” (III John 1:2).
Here is a thought to keep in mind; by not claiming and taking control of your rights, privileges, and inheritance, you have pretty much handed them all over to the devil. So, before you go charging off to pursue the devil and try to take back everything that he supposedly has stolen from you, you might want to take inventory of the rights, privileges, and inheritance that Jesus gave to you through his sacrifice on the cross and lay claim to them instead. This just might be more profitable than trying “to take back something from the devil” that he does not have control over anymore.
May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you and greatly inform you. We pray that you will be the better for having read this message. If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well. Amen.
Enjoy your blessings - KW
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