Manna for Your Morning

“When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.” — Luke 4:13 (NASB1995) Remember, we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (See Ephesians 6:12) Our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. He is always looking for an opportune time to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Stay alert!  (See 1 Peter 5:8 & John 10:10) When confronted with the lies of the enemy, follow the example of King Yeshua in Luke 4:4, 4:8 & 4:12, and speak what is written in the Holy Scriptures. 

“Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” — Psalms 60:11-12 (NLT) God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude (Psalms 46:1-3 NLT) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. (See Romans 8:37 AMP) …thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Corinthians 2:14 AMP) Where he leads, let us be sure to follow.

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.”  “… let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him.” — Psalms 68:1, 3-4 (NKJV) “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in Yahweh, lovingkindness shall surround him. Be glad in Yahweh and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭LSB‬‬) “I will give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart; I will recount all Your wondrous deeds. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalms 9:1-2 LSB)  “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalms 9:10 LSB)  “Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude...

Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes. — Psalm 60:11-12 (NLT) Behold, God is my helper and ally; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder]. (Psalms 54:4 AMP) In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the LORD and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears. (Psalms 18:6 AMP) Call upon the name of Yahweh. He is a very present help in trouble. How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in Yahweh his God, (Psalms 146:5 LSB). Through God we shall do valiantly, and it is He who will tread down our adversaries. (Psalms 60:12 LSB) ...thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57)

“Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” — Psalms 108:12-13 (NLT) Put your hope in Yahweh, for our help comes from Him. God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah. (Psalms 46:1-3 AMP) How blessed and graciously favored is he whose help is the God of Jacob (Israel), whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, Who keeps truth and is faithful forever, (Psalms 146:5-6 AMP)

“ Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. ” — Esther 9:1 (NKJV) Haman sought to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews. (See Esther 3:6) In the end, they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai, and later they also hanged Haman’s ten sons. (See Esther 7:10 & 9:14) While the first decree called to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, the king’s following decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. (See Esther 3:13 & 8:11) And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them. (Esther 8:17) No matt...

Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah. — Psalm 24:9-10 (NASB) This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6) May this be the generation who continually seeks the face of the LORD. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on You with steadfast confidence], Do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed; Do not let my enemies triumph over me. (Psalm 25:1-2 AMP) Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5 NASB) All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. (Psalm 25:10 NASB) Amen.

For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’ — Deuteronomy 20:4 (NLT) Two things to remember: First, the battle belongs to the LORD. As David said when he faced the giant, Goliath, “... that this entire assembly may know that the LORD does not save with the sword or with the spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and He will hand you over to us. ” (1 Samuel 17:47 AMP) Second, the LORD has already given us the victory (past tense). Hallelujah! Just as the Israelites followed the cloud in the desert for 40 years. Our way of life is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, move when He says move, stop when He says stop, speak when He gives us the words and when He says be quiet, stop talking.  Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ ... (2 Corinthians 2:14)!

From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help  when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! Interlude — Psalm 61:2-4 (NLT) …our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth. He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper; he will never forget nor ignore me. (Psalm 121:2-4 TPT) Wherever we are, we can call on the LORD. His ear is always open to hear our cry. Those who are righteous do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. (Psalm 112:7-8) “ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand .” — Isaiah 41:10 ...

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The LORD will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. — Psalm 138:7-8 (NLT) You may be surrounded by troubles today, but be confident that the LORD will work it out. The LORD’s plan and purpose for your life will prevail over the evil one. Though you walk in the midst of trouble, He is with you and will protect you. Because of His faithful love, He will not abandon the works of His own hands.

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (AMP) We are called to love. Love our brothers and sisters, love our friends and even our enemies. Proverbs 17:17 says, a friend loves at all times… First Peter 3:8 encourages us to have compassion for one another and love as brothers. Jesus tells us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us… (Matthew 5:44 NKJV) First Peter 4:8 says: Above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Why this great call to love? Because love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8) As we continually sow seeds of love there will be a great harvest and love will be the fruit. Ephesians 4:2 says, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bear with one another in love… We have to bear with one another’s shortcomings because it will not always be easy. That is why we are to be inspired and motivated by God’s lov...

I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my enemies rejoice over me. — Psalm 30:1 (NASB) No matter how low life drags you down, our heavenly Father will reach down and lift you up. God call us to come up, closer to Him. Let us press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 NASB) The path of life leads upward for the wise. (Proverbs 15:24a) From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:2 NKJV)

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” — Isaiah 7:9 (NIV) When their enemies came to make war against the people of Jerusalem, God sent His prophet to King Ahaz. Isaiah said to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart…” (Isaiah 7:4) This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ It will not take place, it will not happen …” (Isaiah 7:7). When the enemy threatens destruction, be careful about the words you speak, keep calm and don’t let fear grip you. Remember that the lies and threats of the enemy cannot prevail over you. God has given us authority on the earth. Stand firm in your faith. Believe that God is able to deliver you. Believe that He is willing. Believe that He will do exactly as He has said. God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)

Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies. — Psalm 108:12-13 (NKJV) With God’s help, we can be courageous and determined to persevere to the end, knowing that we have the victory. We win! Zechariah 4:6 (NIV) says, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Why try to fight battles in your own strength, when you can call on the name of the LORD? Philippians 4:13 says, we can do all things through Christ, because He is the One who strengthens us and empowers us to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand— That You, LORD, have done it! (Psalm 109:26-27 NKJV)

Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah — Psalm 44:5-8 (NKJV) Let us not put our trust in our abilities or resources. It’s by His power that resides in us and works through us that we are able to accomplish anything. John 15:15 says apart from Christ we can do nothing. If we boast, may we boast in God alone, all the day long. The Message Bible says, “All day we parade God’s praise…” (Psalm 448a). My soul makes its boast in the LORD; The humble and downtrodden will hear it and rejoice. (Psalm 34:2 AMP)

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”   — Mark 10:47-48 (NLT) When the world tries to silence you, lift up your voice all the more, to our mighty God. When the circumstances you encounter leave you speechless, cry out to our living God. He is abundant in mercy to all those who call upon Him (Psalm 86:6 NKJV). The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17). Cry out with your whole heart. Psalm 56:9 says, when you cry out to the LORD, then your enemies will turn back because God is for you. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15 NKJV)

Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. — 1 Timothy 2:8-10 (MSG) As we pray, we let go of the worries of this world and embrace the power of God that is able to move mountains and destroy yokes. Prayer and praise release the power of God to change circumstances. It ushers in His Presence and opens our hearts to Him, so the Holy Spirit can work in us and through us. Psalm 33:1 (NKJV) says, praise from the upright is beautiful. As we pray and praise our heavenly Father, we let the light and love of God shine through us, and we illuminate the world around us with the beauty of the LORD. Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is ...

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. — Esther 9:1 (NIV) Haman, an enemy of the Jews, sought to destroy them, but in the end, he was hung on the gallows he had set for Mordeci, one of the Jews. The king gave the Jews permission to avenge themselves on their enemies and God gave them victory. Esther 8:17 actually says, many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them. You may face a situation that threatens to destroy you, but God can turn the tables around on that situation and put you in a position of power, authority and victory. When others seek to harm you, do not be dismayed. Look to God for help. He can turn the situation around and use it for good, in your life and in the lives of others.

“I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. — Matthew 5:44-45 (MSG) A lawyer, asked Jesus a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:35-39 NKJV) Before we are able to love our spouse, our neighbors or our enemies we must love God. The love of God in our hearts gives us the ability to love others, the way our heavenly Father loves us. May the Lord make your lo...

Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. — Hebrews 10:23 (MSG) Never let go or give up on the promises God has spoken to you. God is faithful and we can  trust Him to keep His promises. What the LORD speaks, eventually comes to pass (maybe not on our timetable). After God delivered the Israelites from slavery and ushered them into the Promise Land, Joshua 21:44-45 says, the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. This is the same God we serve. They may have spent 40 years in the wilderness, but through it all, God provided and His people prevailed. The enemy likes to use adverse circumstances to discourage us, but look past the smokescreen and see the victory we already have in Jesus! Hold onto His promises.